Borgeest's method was to provide land, housing, tools, seeds, training and assistance to refugees and give them the opportunity to each start a small farm on the island.

The opportunity provided by Borgeest's project helped many refugee families re-establish themselves after the trauma of fleeing to Hong Kong.

The work of the Sunshine Island community was supported by The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Hong Kong.

Sunshine Island formed the basis of later drug rehabilitation settlements still existing in Hong Kong.

There is also an endemic species, the Bogadek's legless lizard (Dibamus bogadeki) living on the island.