I am a student with severe dyslexia, a form of Special Educational Needs (SEN). In Hong Kong, the proportion of SEN students has risen dramatically in recent years — from around 4.4% to over 11%. Yet the growth in understanding and support has not kept pace. As a result, many SEN students must invest far more than their peers simply to reach the same starting line.

From a young age, I faced profound difficulties in reading and comprehension. Processing written information demanded several times more effort, and expression felt like climbing a mountain others could simply walk. Yet I refused to let those mountains define me. Entering secondary school, I stepped boldly beyond my comfort zone — joining technology competitions, leading innovation projects, and gradually transforming from a student who struggled with words into one who could lead, inspire, and make a difference. International exchange programmes and technology exhibitions opened my eyes to a world of possibility, and I came to believe, deeply and irrevocably, that limitations are simply the beginning of growth.

Through my journey, I came to understand that the challenges SEN students face reach far beyond the classroom. Research suggests that some students with ADHD may experience improvements in attention and self-regulation as they grow — though this is never guaranteed. Dyslexia, as a neurodevelopmental difference, tends to walk alongside a person for life. But the deeper wound — the one that truly matters — is this: years of labelling, misunderstanding, and quiet dismissal rob many SEN students of the very years in which confidence and communication are forged. Some challenges may soften with time. But neglected potential only grows heavier.

This understanding became the heartbeat of "The Voice of US." This initiative was born to give students with learning differences and ADHD a tailored stage — to express themselves, share their stories, and reclaim their confidence. It is not merely a programme. It is a space where voices that have long been overlooked can finally rise, resound, and be truly heard. My deepest hope is to reshape how the world sees SEN students — not as students who need fixing, but as individuals who deserve recognition, respect, and the freedom to speak their truth.