My name is Liza Avelino, 47 years old and originally from the Philippines. I am currently working as a domestic worker, and on special days, I am a hiker, mountaineer, solo traveler, fund raiser, motivational speaker, TedEx speaker and much more.
This coming July 15-20, I will go to Sichuan, Western China to climb two peaks of the Four Sisters or Siguniang Mountains - Dafeng 5,025m and Erfeng 5,276m. This personal challenge I have set for myself is the flame that fires up my soul and keeps me feel so alive.
While slaying my goals, I also want to help empower women by utilising my climbs as fundraiser for local charities that help and support the well-being of foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong. My Mt Siguniang climb will be a fundraiser for Splash Foundation. I have personally witnessed the positive impact their swimming programs have on the men and women in the domestic workers community. I want to use this opportunity to help raise funds as a way to say thank you for the organisation's great initiative and I am hoping that Splash volunteers will continue offering their time and expertise in teaching us an important life skill and to become confident in the water.
Since arriving in Hong Kong 21 years ago, I have constantly pushed limits, broken barriers and chosen paths that have inspired many. I have climbed several peaks, completed 100km Oxfam Trailwalker twice, raised substantial sums for charities, initiated a campaign to clean up trails in Hong Kong, founded an all-domestic workers dragon boat team, was profiled in The Helper, a popular documentary on domestic workers in Hong Kong and have been featured in many newspapers and magazine articles. I believe in chasing my dreams rather than sitting around and wishing, and want to keep inspiring others to do the same.
Questions: [email protected]
Splash is Hong Kong’s only charitable organization dedicated to bringing swimming opportunities to under-resourced communities in Hong Kong. We connect people who know how to swim with those who want to learn and in just 3 short years, have taught over 1,000 foreign domestic workers, refugees and local kids. To learn more about Splash, visit our website at www.splashfoundation.org or https://www.facebook.com/splashfoundation/Splash Foundation Limited is a registered Hong Kong tax exempt organization as described in Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. All donations over HK$100 are eligible for tax deduction.
Mountains Liza climbed:
Mt Pulag
Mt Kanlaon
Mt Guiting Guiting in the Philippines
Mt Yarigatake in Japan
Mt Hallasan in South Korea
Mt Kinabalu in Malaysia
Everest Base Camp and Island Peak's Crampon Point in Nepal
Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
