05/10/2026
[A Short Story of our beneficiary’s home visit — Through Delphine’s Eyes]
Recently, Delphine, Board Member of The French Chamber Foundation, stepped into a narrow corridor of an old building in Kowloon with her young son beside her. They were visiting a beneficiary of the Make It Work HK programme — a woman in her mid 30s, living with her son in a sub divided flat no larger than a parking space. For years, this small room had been their entire world.
The mother welcomed them with a shy smile. Her story was one shared by many of Hong Kong’s working poor: limited education, migration from the mainland, a difficult family situation, and the heavy responsibility of raising a child alone. Without childcare support, full time employment was impossible. Survival depended on part time shifts, unstable income, and sheer resilience.
As Delphine listened, she found herself responding not only as a businesswoman, but as a mother. She noticed the boy’s quietness, the way he stayed close to his mother, the absence of space to play or study. She imagined what it would feel like to raise her own child in such conditions — the constant worry, the lack of choices, the invisible pressure of poverty that shapes every decision.
The visit was brief, but the impact was lasting. Delphine left with a deeper understanding of what poverty looks like in Hong Kong today: not only financial hardship, but isolation, limited opportunities, and the emotional weight carried by single parents who are doing their best with very little.
From her perspective, the experience reinforced a belief she has long held — that the business community has a meaningful role to play. Flexibility in the workplace, part time arrangements, family friendly policies, and inclusive hiring practices are not just HR strategies; they are lifelines for families like the one she met. When companies open doors, even small ones, they create pathways for dignity, stability, and hope.
Delphine hopes her visit will inspire more leaders to look beyond numbers and see the human stories behind Hong Kong’s working poor. Poverty is not distant — it lives in the same city, often just a few MTR stops away. And with compassion, creativity, and commitment, the business sector can help rewrite these stories.
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🔍📧Make It Work provides employment support services to assist working poor enhance their employability and offer job matching services as well. If you are interested in learning more about our charity work, please reach out to us at [email protected] | 2523 6818.
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[透過Delphine的視角 ─ 敍述關於受助者家訪的故事]
不久前,法國商會慈善基金董事會成員 Delphine 帶著年幼的兒子,走進九龍一棟舊樓宇內一條狹窄的走廊。他們此行是為了探訪樂進堂的受助者──一位三十多歲的母親,她與兒子一同居住在一間面積僅相當於一個停車位大小的「住宅」裡。多年來,這間小屋就是他們的整個世界。
這位母親帶著羞澀的微笑迎接他們。她的經歷是香港許多「在職貧窮」人士的縮影:教育程度有限、從內地移居香港、家庭境況艱難,以及需要獨自撫養孩子的沉重負擔。由於缺乏托兒支援,全職工作對她而言遙不可及;一家人的生計全靠零碎的兼職工作、不穩定的收入以及堅韌的毅力維持。
在探訪過程中,Delphine 不僅以商界人士的身份,更以母親的角度深切感受。她注意到屋內男孩的沉默寡言,以及他依偎在母親身邊的模樣,家中根本沒有空間讓他玩耍或學習。她試著想像,若自己在這樣的環境中撫養孩子,會是怎樣的情況——那種揮之不去的擔憂、無可選擇的無奈,以及貧困帶來的無形壓力,如何左右著每一個決定。
這次探訪雖然短暫,影響卻深遠。Delphine 離開時,對當今香港貧困的真實面貌有了更深刻的理解:貧困不僅僅意味著經濟拮据,更伴隨著孤立無援、機會匱乏,以及單親家長在資源極度匱乏的情況下,竭力支撐家庭所承受的沉重心理負擔。
這次探訪進一步堅定了她長久以來的信念:商界可以發揮非常重要的角色。彈性的工作安排、兼職機會、家庭友善政策以及包容性的人事措施,絕不僅僅是人力資源管理的策略,更像她所探訪的那個家庭一樣,是「救命稻草」。當企業敞開大門——即使只是微小的一扇門——便為這些家庭開闢了通往尊嚴、穩定與希望的道路。
Delphine 希望這次探訪能啟發更多企業領袖,不再僅僅專注於冰冷的數據,而是關注香港「在職貧窮」背後一個個鮮活的人生故事。貧窮並不遙遠──它就存在於這座城市之中,往往只隔著幾個地鐵站的距離。憑藉同理心、創造力與堅定的承諾,商界有能力幫助改寫這些故事。
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🔍📧樂進堂提供就業支援服務,協助有需要人士提升就業能力,配對合適工作。如果您有興趣了解更多關於我們的慈善服務,請透過電郵[email protected] | 或熱線 2523 6818 與我們聯繫。
#樂進堂 #法國商會慈善基金