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Jimmy Chow

Hongkonger Dixon Kwok Kai-yuen was born into a struggling family and diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at a young age, with his secondary school years seeing his household fracture and depression affect his academic performance.
But looking back on those tough times, the civil engineer and social enterprise founder said he eventually managed to turn adversity into opportunity.
“Those challenges shaped who I am today,” Kwok, now in his thirties, said. “Resilience isn’t about surviving the storm; it’s about dancing in the rain.”
In 2017, he set up iEnterprise to empower ex-offenders, members of ethnic minority communities and people with disabilities by offering job opportunities, blending tech and compassion to help them rebuild their lives with dignity.
His work has seen him named as a finalist for the 12th Spirit of Hong Kong Awards’ “perseverance” category.
The awards are an annual event jointly organised by the South China Morning Post and Sino Group to honour remarkable individuals or teams whose endeavours might otherwise go unnoticed.
Kwok’s vision is to offer a path forward for people struggling to open career doors.
“Everyone deserves a second chance. It’s not just about providing jobs – it’s about restoring dignity, giving people the tools to rebuild their lives,” he said.
Kwok recalled how the social enterprise helped “Ah B”, a former drug addict and ex-offender who struggled to reintegrate into society after serving time in prison.
Under mounting pressure to financially support his family, Ah B was on the verge of returning to his old ways, he said.
But Kwok’s tailored job training programme offered a lifeline. “He didn’t just need a job – he needed someone to believe in him,” he said.
The initiative helped Ah B secure a stable job as a metal scaffolding worker, a transformation that not only saved his life but gave his family fresh hope.

The founder of iEnterprise stressed that such efforts were about empowerment, not charity.
“We’re not here to dish out favours – we’re here to give people a real shot at reclaiming their lives,” Kwok said. “They need to see that they can contribute to society, that they have worth.”
The civil engineer also said he believed that offering sustainable employment was key to breaking a cycle of recidivism and marginalisation.
In his latest project, Kwok aims to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) software and smart goggles so that beneficiaries can remotely monitor safety measures at construction sites.
“I want to show that people with disabilities can play a crucial role in industries such as construction, where they are often overlooked,” he said. “Technology is the bridge – if we can use it to open doors for more people, why shouldn’t we?”
For Kwok, the emerging “inclusive smart cities” concept is about more than just a technological utopia – it’s a society where everyone, regardless of background, has the chance to contribute in a meaningful way.
“Innovation isn’t just about gadgets or AI, but it’s about innovating how we think about each other, how we treat each other. We need to innovate in our hearts,” he said.
Kwok said he was now setting his sights beyond Hong Kong and hoped to launch his initiative in other cities across Asia.
“I’ve been given chances in life, even when the odds were against me. Now it’s my turn to give those chances to others,” he added.


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Spirit of Hong Kong

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: civil engineer helps to rebuild lives with dignity

Civil engineer Dixon Kwok believes in giving people the tools to help rebuild their own lives with dignity. Photo: Kong Yat-pang

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: 14-year-old who founded youth NGO to address inequality

Valerie Chiu, 14, president and founder of Teen Animals da Scientists (TADS), a youth-led NGO with a focus on promoting science education among underprivileged youths. Photo: Kong Yat-pang

Valerie Chiu is president of TADS, a youth-led organisation whose initiatives included a science fair that taught children from low-income homes how to conduct science experiments with simple household items. Photo: Kong Yat-pang

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: green tech entrepreneur turns desert into farmland with tiger nuts

Hong Kong entrepreneur Edmund Chan is the co-founder of green tech company Meet the Next, whose signature product is a non-dairy milk made with tiger nuts. Photo: Kong Yat-pang

Tiga Milk is made from three key ingredients: tiger nuts, oats and soybeans. Photo: Kong Yat-pang

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: Sisterpeer helps women get back on their feet, start businesses

Sisterpeer members Sarah Luk, Camie Law, Vanessa Wun, Vivian Chow, Patsy Chan, Sara Wong Chi-ting, Halina Law and Sarah Hsieh are supporting and encouraging their peers. Photo: Kong Yat-pang

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Hong Kong

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iEnterprise founder Dixon Kwok named as finalist for ‘perseverance’ category in 12th Spirit of Hong Kong Awards


iEnterprise founder Dixon Kwok named as finalist for ‘perseverance’ category in 12th Spirit of Hong Kong Awards.
