Jackson Lo, a young alumnus of the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programme at the HKU Faculty of Social Sciences (FOSS), founded “Mealingful” (軟膳點) in 2021. His enriching student life at HKU FOSS combined rigourous coursework, hands-on professional experience, and active engagement in meaningful extracurricular pursuits within a dynamic academic environment.
BSW learning included courses and training camp on self-exploration that connect the nature, his family and past experience, and these self-exploration and reflective skills are impactful on a day-to-day basis ever after graduation. One vital learning was to apply multi-disciplinary knowledge to adapt to new and uncertain situations and problems: he understood the situations of dysphagia through a placement in an elderly home; applied design thinking and business canvas through courses of social entrepreneurship; and observed service management during an internship in the headquarters of the Social Welfare Department—contributing to the success of the social enterprise “Mealingful” (軟膳點).
Apart from classroom theoretical learning, Jackson engaged with practical training in fieldwork placements, working with NGOs, hospitals, and government agencies to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings. Academic expertise and insights from the Swallowing Research Laboratory, funding from the Social Innovations for Sustainable Communities (SISC) programme of the Centre for Civil Society and Governance (CCSG), and incubation and networking support from Enactus which enabled a trial run of the soft-meal Mooncake campaign during the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2020. Except the incubator for social projects, AIESEC in HKU for leadership training through actual team leading, which encourages social innovation and organises different activities to empower youth, like Youth Summit. The three key skills in developing the social enterprise were empathy, problem-solving and social investigation: learning from key stakeholders and investigating the social gaps of swallowing difficulties and existing support in social services and private sectors.
Mealingful’s mission is to “make every meal meaningful,” by providing appealing soft meals that stimulate all senses so customers can enjoy the original taste and look of ingredients; every meal is carefully prepared by partnering soft meal kitchens with strict adherence to food quality and hygiene standards, delivered to homes with rigorous testing on the delivery process, and nutrition and ingredients labels included for easy reference.
When Mealingful first started its hot meal delivery service, it faced significant challenges in production, food safety control, and high logistics costs, making the initial model unsustainable. Today, the organization has transitioned to providing ready-to-eat and frozen meals, which are more convenient for caregivers to serve anytime. Beyond meal delivery, Mealingful regularly hosts awareness programmes for caregivers, NGOs, corporations, and educational institutions—from primary schools to universities.
To amplify social impact through partnerships, Mealingful has collaborated with The WEMP Foundation and The Hongkong Bank Foundation to offer soft meal workshops to domestic helpers as part of the Dream Catcher Training Programme.
Looking ahead, Mealingful remains committed to community engagement—educating the public about the importance of soft meals and raising awareness of swallowing difficulties. Their goal is to deliver nutritious, soft meals across society so that the elderly and those with dysphagia can enjoy food with joy and dignity, ultimately building a supportive community that enhances the quality of life for seniors.
For Social Sciences students interested in developing their own social enterprise, Jackson offers the following practical advice:
” Don’t limit yourself. Be brave, be yourself, be prepared to take risks, because you will never know until you try.”