Yesterday was one of those days that reminds you exactly why Come Together Community exists.

Together with fellow CTC board members Andy Board, Sunny Sui, Luke Niederhofer, and Harry Callaghan, I had the honour of visiting Nanping Experimental Primary School in Zhuhai, where we officially donated RMB 119,340 to fund school meals for 51 children in need, covering both the remainder of this term and the next, a total of 180 school days.

After a short but heartfelt ceremony, I delivered a few remarks about CTC’s mission. I was genuinely touched by Principal He Xiaozhang’s warm and passionate response, it was immediately clear how deeply the teachers and staff care about their students, and how committed they are to supporting families facing real hardship. My thanks also to Secretary Gong Shuji from the Nanping Community Party Committee for his support of this cooperation, and to President Wang and his colleagues at the Zhuhai Mingzhu Charity Association, under whose dedicated charity fund this donation was made.

Visiting the Families

After the ceremony, we visited three families who are part of this programme. Two live in conditions of extreme financial difficulty, one in what can only be described as a metal oven. The third family lives in a small but clean government-provided dormitory.

The most powerful moment of the day was meeting the twin boys in that third family. Both were born almost deaf and rely on hearing devices. One also lives with autism. Listening to their story put everything into perspective. The mother’s love and determination — her quiet, extraordinary resilience in the face of daily challenges most people will never face — left a lasting impression on all of us.

Days like this are a reminder of how fragile life can be. And how strong it can make people.

A New Chapter for CTC

This donation also marks an important moment in CTC’s own journey. This month, we officially closed our original social organisation registration and established a dedicated charity fund, the Come Together Community Special Fund (一起来爱心专项基金) — under the Zhuhai Mingzhu Charity Association. This step ensures CTC is fully compliant with China’s evolving charity regulations, more transparent than ever, and structured for long-term sustainability.

Since our founding in 2011, by a group of mostly expats living and working in Zhuhai, who simply wanted to give something back to this city in a transparent and trustworthy way, CTC has raised over RMB 3 million for local children’s welfare. Every single yuan has gone directly to the children. No salaries. No administration fees. That has always been our commitment, and it always will be.

Come Together Festival 2025 — 22 November

Donations like today’s are made possible by the annual Come Together Charity Music Festival, and this year’s festival takes place on Saturday 22 November, from 3pm to 10pm, at the LETS Cultural District in Zhuhai. Every year, local and international musicians, volunteers, companies, and families come together to raise funds for children in need. It is a celebration of community spirit, friendship, and love — and we would love to see you there.

To the children of Nanping Experimental Primary School: you are the heart of why we do this. Your smiles and your future give meaning to all our efforts. Work hard, be kind, and never stop believing in yourselves.

🔗 Come Together Community 🔗 Zhuhai Mingzhu Charity Association 🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn

Mark Clayton FCMA CGMA CPA KOR — Group CFO, C2W Group | Chairman, British Chamber of Commerce South China | Founder & Chairman, Come Together Community