Leveraging star power for charity

Public speaking program brings celebrities together to inspire philanthropy, Xu Fan reports.

In 2015, former NBA star Yao Ming stepped away from his busy schedule to take on a role he had never explored before — for 12 days, the basketball legend worked as a physical education teacher at a primary school in Baishi town, Guang'an city, in Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Although Yao lacked coaching experience and the school's facilities were rudimentary, the brief stint left an indelible mark on him. He vividly recalls a teenager surnamed Liang who showed a burgeoning passion and talent for basketball despite having never played the sport.

"In one training class, Liang secretly sneaked over to give me a cookie, whispering, 'Teacher, the class is taking a long time, are you hungry?' I was so pleased as I felt it was a form of communication," recalls Yao during a speech he delivered at the 2024 Star Talks, a celebrity public-speaking program produced by the Lichun Studio affiliated with Tencent News.

Star Talks was initiated in 2016 and has gathered nearly 100 celebrities from different fields to share their most cherished memories and insights about their lives and careers. This year's edition was held as a special program to highlight the 99 Giving Day, an annual public philanthropy campaign launched by Tencent in 2015.

Alongside eight other celebrities, Yao delivered a 10-minute speech, primarily reflecting on his experiences and thoughts about the past 16 years since he established the Yao Foundation — a charitable organization dedicated to supporting youths in underdeveloped regions, aiding them in achieving all-around healthy growth in areas such as sports, nutrition and psychology.

In the early years of his foundation, he advised volunteers not to bring smart devices to rural schools. Yao wanted them to approach the countryside children cautiously, aiming to prevent the children from discovering the stark contrast between their hometown and the outside world.