Technology is part of our kids’ lives whether we like it or not. Which is why expat MILA DEVENPORT is passionate about how we can best support our youngsters and teens with digital literacy and developing skills beyond the digital world. We ask her about her Kigumi Group workshops for parents and kids, creating healthy outlooks on life, creativity, emotional intelligence and navigating cyberbullying.
Tell us about your path to Hong Kong.
I was born and raised in Chicago but travelled to Asia frequently to visit family. After college, I took my first job establishing an all-women’s Asian leadership university, which brought me to the region professionally. After an eight-year career in Southeast Asia with roles in disability inclusion, educational philanthropy and women’s empowerment, I moved to Hong Kong in 2018 to start a family and launch my own education consultancy. I live here with my two small humans.
Give us an intro to Kigumi Group.
I started what became Kigumi Group back in 2018 because I saw the education sector in Asia increasingly fixating on questions like “What sort of skills do my children need to survive?” instead of asking “What human qualities do my children need to thrive?”
The overwhelming emphasis on test-taking and short term performance can lead to stress and mental health issues; and this only exacerbates social and environmental problems by reducing creativity and emotional intelligence. I couldn’t find many people having the urgent conversations about what it means to be ethical, what it means to be caring, what it means to be the best possible kind of human – so I decided to do it.
Is the name related to the Japanese word?
Yes! I’m from a family of woodworkers so I knew a little about the Japanese technique of kigumi already, where joints of buildings or furniture are held together by complementary forces without nails or artificial adhesives. This seemed perfect, as I believe each person’s true character should be like kigumi: a balanced set of forces standing upright on their own merit, creating a strong, unified whole.
What are some digital literacy and technology education services you provide?
We design curricula for teachers, schools and students around character and digital literacy. We also assist parents in navigating how they can support their kids’ mental health and tips and tools around social media usage and addictive behaviour with technology. And we run workshops for teens applying for university or internships who want to effectively communicate their personal values to explain who they are, not just what they’ve achieved.
Tell us specifically about the work you do around AI and cyberbullying.
We’ve carefully honed our proprietary digital literacy and AI safety classes with advisors from the University of Chicago, Dartmouth and Harvard. We see digital literacy having many sub-areas: navigating misinformation, setting personal boundaries with technology, knowing how to use AI ethically, and dealing with cyberbullying. We cover all these areas because we believe AI will not replace humans, but that human capabilities will be augmented with AI companions – so we need to start training humans now on how to leverage their own human qualities to make the most out of emerging tech.
What do you like to do in HK when you’re not working?
Exercising in nature – like trail running and hiking – is central to my self-care and mental health. I also do some home schooling with my kids and love watching them grow into an awareness of their own values and interests.
Where in HK do you live?
I moved to an outlying island when I had my second child, and it was the best real estate decision. My kids have a forest as a backyard and they can listen to the rhythm of their own minds and bodies because the pace of life is quieter. There’s also a community neighbourhood feel where you all look out for each other.
What are you looking forward to in 2024?
It’s been my goal for a while to relearn what it means to have the spirit of a child as an adult (like being curious, playful and a life-long learner). In 2024 I’m going to continue working towards this goal. I’d also love to expand our workshops to other countries like Singapore and Thailand.
Find out more about the importance of digital literacy, supporting your kids’ mental health, cyberbullying and more, plus workshops for parents, teens and kids at kigumigroup.com/families.
This article first appeared in the Winter 2023/2024 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
