From Commercial Design to Children’s Books | Catherine Choi’s Volunteer Journey with Cantogather

Together with Time Auction, the Swire Trust Go-Givers Program encourages skilled volunteers for Swire Trust NGO partners in education, marine conservation, and arts. From now to 2025. 10 outstanding volunteers will be selected annually as the “Swire Trust Go-Givers of the Year” with special rewards & recognition. Meet our 10 Go-Givers of 2024!

Meet Catherine — Designing Dreams, One Illustration at a Time

Catherine is a passionate designer at The Lion Rock Press, a stationery and gift company known for its Hong Kong-inspired products. In addition to her full-time role, she works as a freelance children’s book illustrator, where her love for art and storytelling come together. Her first illustration project, Welly the Wild Boar and The Quest for the Egg Puffs, published in 2021, sparked her interest in children’s book illustration and pointed her to a concrete direction.

Though currently engaged in commercial product design, Catherine’s dream is to inspire young minds through creating educational and entertaining illustrations for children.

Where Culture, Language and Creativity Collide

CantoGather is an educational organization dedicated to supporting ethnic minorities and helping non-Chinese-speaking students in Hong Kong learn Cantonese and Chinese through culturally responsive teaching materials. Their program uses tailored resources to make language learning engaging, effective, and relevant to students’ everyday lives.

Catherine discovered this volunteer opportunity with CantoGather through Time Auction. After returning to Hong Kong after university, she sought ways to build a portfolio in children’s illustration and to explore creative projects outside of her full-time job. The chance to illustrate a children’s language learning book for CantoGather was a perfect fit.

“Back in university, I worked on children’s educational projects, so this was familiar territory,” Catherine reflected. Despite having done similar projects previously, this particular opportunity was still very attractive to Catherine because it is working on a live project with real-world social impact. Furthermore, it also gave her the chance to develop her personal illustration style, and this is not always possible in the commercial realm.

Catherine quickly found herself immersed in the project, collaborating with a team that shared her enthusiasm. “I’ve had a great time volunteering since January and have met some wonderful, dedicated members of the CantoGather team,” she shared.

Creating Impact with Every Stroke

For Catherine, one of the most heartwarming aspects of volunteering is knowing that the work ultimately helps bridge cultural and language gaps. “It warms my heart to be able to contribute to international communities with what I love doing most,” she noted. As a non-native living in Hong Kong, Catherine personally understands the challenges of language learning and hopes to make the experience more enjoyable and relatable for young students through her illustrations.

The CantoGather team praised Catherine’s contributions, highlighting her role in producing high-quality materials for their programs. “Catherine’s work has been instrumental in helping us create specific, effective, and culturally responsive teaching materials for our primary non-Chinese students,” shared a representative from CantoGather. “She has produced 31 high-quality illustrations for our activity booklets, pictures, and games, and has committed to creating 13 more.”

Catherine’s flexibility to align her creativity with CantoGather’s goals made her a vital part of the team. “Her attention to detail and positive attitude have made her a pleasure to work with,” the team added. “We are grateful for her invaluable contributions and look forward to our continued collaboration.”

Growing and Drawing Connections

In return, volunteering with CantoGather has allowed Catherine to refine her skills in children’s illustration, particularly in simplifying visuals to cater to young audiences. “I’ve learned to adapt my illustrations to best serve kids in Hong Kong, often referencing specific locations or objects to make the visuals more relatable,” she explained.

Beyond growth in technical skills, this experience has also given Catherine a sense of direction and purpose during the uncertain time of being a fresh graduate. Each project brings new challenges and thus allows her to explore different creative avenues while making a positive impact. “Now, I dedicate my spare time to contributing my skills to other charities and taking on each project as a fun challenge,” she excitedly shared.

Being recognized for her work was unexpected for Catherine, and she expressed her gratitude, “receiving this award was a total surprise, and I can’t accept it without thanking the CantoGather team for all they do.”

Discover Your Hidden Superpowers

Catherine encourages others to take the leap into volunteering: “Volunteering is an incredible way to give back to the community and share your passions and skills. It’s also a great way to take risks, try new experiences, and discover hidden strengths within yourself.”

Thank you Catherine for contributing 816 volunteer hours, with CantoGather!

To see details of the Swire Trust Go-Givers Program and support their NGO partners, head over to Time Auction website.

Written by Time Auction team, Edited by Margaret Ng, Volunteer Editor