Hearing Loss Led Hong Kong Teacher to Help 3 Generations

When Ivan Fung graduated with a building degree in 1995, employers turned him away. Construction sites were too dangerous for someone with hearing loss, they said.

Today, that rejection has blossomed into a teaching career spanning three generations. Fung has spent nearly three decades educating young children, university students, and elderly people across Hong Kong and mainland China.

Born with a hearing impairment, Fung struggled with language classes but excelled in math and art. He studied building subjects at what became City University of Hong Kong, expecting to work in construction after graduation.

His first job application for a sewage treatment project ended in disappointment. The employer worried his hearing could create safety risks on site, and other companies had similar concerns.

Fung's father suggested teaching instead. After initially failing to land secondary school positions, a former lecturer offered him a junior role at his alma mater.

"Step by step," Fung recalled of what followed. He went on to spend 20 years at City University, eventually supervising postgraduate students.

But Fung didn't stop at university teaching. He helped at his wife's tutorial center, where many students came from single-parent families, teaching art and other subjects to younger children.

The Ripple Effect

Fung's impact now reaches across age groups and borders. He teaches postgraduate engineering students in mainland China while giving lessons to professionals and seniors in Hong Kong.

His recent work blends traditional culture with modern technology. Students and older adults learn hanfu design while primary and secondary pupils use artificial intelligence to create short videos.

He's also become a digital guardian for elderly people, drawing on his academic background to explain AI scams. Fung teaches seniors how fake images, cloned voices, and deepfake videos can deceive them, urging verification even when messages appear to come from loved ones.

Paradise Home Foundation, which nominated him for the Spirit of Nurturing Award in the 2026 Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, describes his philosophy simply: receive help, help yourself, then help others.

For Fung, the nomination validates his unexpected journey. "It gives me a sense of recognition and tells me that the path I chose was the right one."