Travel Influencers Christy Leung and “African Prince” Kunbi Journey into the Heart of Childhood

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 22 October 2025 - Hongkongers love to travel, and in recent years, more people are seeking in-depth experiences, venturing into local communities to feel the cultural pulse. Travel enables us to experience diverse traditions and build genuine connections with people. Similarly, helping to improve the lives of children around the world is a connection that transcends borders. Save the Children works in different regions globally to assess the social issues affecting children’s wellbeing and develop long-term changes, building deeper, more meaningful connections with children through the Journey Around the World (JAW) programme. Christy Leung, a mother of three and travel show host, was inspired by a trip with her family where she witnessed first-hand the genuine smiles of children in hardship, deepening her convictions about children's education and wellbeing. Meanwhile, Kunbi, known as the “African Prince” and a Nigerian influencer who has lived in Hong Kong for over a decade, shares his personal experiences to highlight the importance of love and community, calling for greater attention to the challenges faced by children worldwide. Christy’s Unexpected Discovery: The Innocent Smiles of African Children “What started as a family trip to Kenya to see the Great Migration of animals turned into an eye-opening experience,” Christy recalls, still moved by her African journey four years ago. Beyond the wildlife, she encountered indigenous and minority communities living in remote villages. “Some villages had only 10 to 20 people, and their homes were built from cow dung and mud. We mostly saw women and children because the men were away doing labour work.” The children's smiles are still deeply etched in Christy's mind. "Despite their harsh living conditions, they were easily satisfied, finding great joy in just kicking a football made of paper." Poverty remains a major challenge for children worldwide. In Zambia, for example, many girls are forced into early marriage due to poverty. Currently, 12 million underage girls are married, with over half becoming mothers before the age of 19. As a mother, Christy's travels resonated with her. “These situations move me deeply. We saw young girls in African villages who, because they couldn't go out to work, already had to shoulder family responsibilities, supporting their families by beading and selling bracelets. In a way, they lost their childhood and the chance to broaden their horizons.” When asked what can empower children to change their future, Christy is unequivocal: “Education and knowledge. If children only know how to herd cattle and care for siblings, their lives will never change. Education can teach them life skills like farming and animal husbandry, or even allow them to become tour guides, improving the future of their entire village.” Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Save the Children has been working in Zambia for over 40 years to combat child marriage and help girls return to school, while improving literacy rates. In 2024 alone, nearly 100,000* children benefited from these efforts. Kunbi Shares Childhood Memories, Thinking of Children in Hardship “My fondest childhood memory is growing up in a Nigerian community”, When talking about his childhood, Kunbi, the “African Prince”, who has lived in Hong Kong for over a decade, always smiles as he describes growing up in a lively and warm community atmosphere. “We lived in a large, close-knit neighbourhood with about 15 families. Every evening, we cooked and ate together while the children played nearby.” After many years in Hong Kong, Kunbi's lifestyle blends Nigerian and Hong Kong cultures, with friends joking that he is "not a real African". Now a content creator, Kunbi bridges cultures by sharing videos about Nigerian music, food, and language. “People often notice the differences between Hong Kong and African children, but I see the similarities. The most important thing for a child is love.” While Kunbi considers himself fortunate to have grown up in a loving environment, he has also witnessed the harsh realities in Nigeria. “Some children have no parents, live on the streets, and survive by begging.” When he and his girlfriend Zoe returned to Nigeria to visit family, they visited a floating slum and recalled the extremely poor living conditions: "There was no electricity, no proper toilets." Kunbi laments, "Many children don't even know how different the environment is outside their area." Elsewhere in Africa, children in Ethiopia face a dual crisis of drought and conflict. Over 4.39 million people are displaced, 4.26 million primary school students are out of school, and child malnutrition is...