Latest news with #vulnerablecommunities
South China Morning Post
29-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong social enterprise restaurant races to relocate as closure looms
Hong Kong's social enterprises empowering vulnerable communities are struggling to survive amid a dire economy. In the second part of this two-part series, the Post looks at how a profitable social enterprise was driven out of business by the government despite its earlier recognition and contributions to the community. You can read the first instalment here In one of Hong Kong's most underprivileged neighbourhoods, residents were recently bidding a reluctant farewell to Agape Garden. Over the past six years, this social enterprise restaurant in Shek Kip Mei Estate provided jobs for those with mentally disabilities, single mothers and the elderly, while offering free hot meals to about 100 seniors in need daily. More recently, they have even started helping stray cats find a new home. The closure follows an abrupt government decision to reclaim the space, effectively dismantling this community hub. The landlord, the Housing Authority, said it was 'planning other uses for the premises with detailed arrangements being worked out', without specifying the new purpose. Their website showed at least two dozen vacant shops pending tender in the neighbourhood.
South China Morning Post
28-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong restaurant run by disabled looking for new partner to keep mission going
Hong Kong's social enterprises empowering vulnerable communities are struggling to survive amid a dire economy. In the first of a two-part series, the Post looks at how a Singapore-based catering business is trying to chart a new path forward for its disabled workers. Dignity Kitchen, a beacon of hope for disabled people seeking training and employment in Hong Kong, is at a crossroads. The Singapore-based social enterprise restaurant is urgently looking for a local partner because its founder, Koh Seng Choon, can no longer fly often to the city to manage the business after undergoing heart surgery in March. Over the past six years, the 66-year-old travelled from the city state to Hong Kong every two months to set up and run the hawker-style restaurant in Mong Kok that has so far trained and placed more than 200 disabled people in jobs. 'The only thing I regret now is I don't have the health to carry on,' he told the Post earlier this week, three months after his surgery. 'I'm not selling the business. The idea is to find a partner with a good heart, commitment, and experience working with disabled people, letting Hongkongers help Hongkongers.'
CNN
09-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Activist who called for protests over ICE raid reacts to violent escalation
CNN's Rosemary Church asks Pablo Alvarado, the co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network who called for peaceful protests to protect vulnerable immigrant communities, what he thinks about the violent protests in Los Angeles.
CNN
09-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Activist who called for protests over ICE raid reacts to violent escalation
CNN's Rosemary Church asks Pablo Alvarado, the co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network who called for peaceful protests to protect vulnerable immigrant communities, what he thinks about the violent protests in Los Angeles.
