簡介
Listen to #Hashtag Hong Kong every Sunday morning at 8.15
Focussing on issues affecting civil society, we'll hear from representatives of NGOs, associations, statutory bodies, and non-profit groups.
(Sundays 8.15am - 8.25am)
最新
Gabrielle Kirstein, Founder, Feeding Hong Kong
Food waste in Hong Kong is a big problem. Every day, more than 3,300 tonnes of food waste is sent to our city’s landfills, much of it good to eat. To put that in context, that’s roughly the equivalent of 8 million meals!
At the same time, there are more than 1.3 million people living in poverty in Hong Kong, struggling to afford food, every day. That includes up to 1 in 2 seniors and 1 in 4 children. So, on the one hand we have food being wasted, on the other hand we have people in need of food This is where Feeding Hong Kong comes in – to bridge this gap through food banking!
We opened the doors of our Foodbank in 2011 after realising that each day, in the normal course of business, many food companies were throwing away perfectly good food - Fresh bread that hadn’t sold by closing time, fruits and vegetables that were past their prime but still packed with nutrition, packaged foods with minor package issues.
At the same time, there were 100s of charities across the city seeking support to feed vulnerable people – crisis shelters, senior homes, community centres and more.
No food company wants to throw good food away. But if they are going to donate that food, they want to be assured that it’s safe, that it’s sustainable, and that it’s going to help those that need it the most. So, we set out to build a safe, sustainable, professional link between companies with quality surplus food and charities with need.
Thirteen years later, we’ve come a long way! During this time, we’ve joined hands with over 600 food companies;
Saved 8,000 tonnes of quality food from landfill; supplied 179 frontline charities with food donations; and supported 25 million meals for vulnerable communities.
The heart of our operation is our Foodbank in Yau Tong. Here, we manage a temperature controlled warehouse and a fleet of trucks, and can handle fresh, frozen and ambient foods by the case, pallet or even container!
And at the heart of the Feeding HK Foodbank are our volunteers – Over 200 people a week help us save, sort and share food with the community.
Our Bread Run is the perfect example - every Tuesday and Thursday night volunteers of all ages from across the city help us collect leftover baked goods from individual bakeries at closing time, and drop them off at one of our collection hubs.
Our volunteers also regularly champion Food Drives, often around festive times such as Christmas, encouraging friends, family and colleagues to donate much-needed shelf staple goods, such as rice, noodles, and canned goods.
These food drives are a fantastic way to help us fill the gaps between the food we rescue as surplus– best described as a surprise chain! - and the daily essentials most needed by our charity partners.
Our main focus every day is working directly with food companies to provide a solution for their surplus. However, ultimately, our goal is to reduce the amount of food wasted - full stop!
To achieve this, we need to work with businesses and individuals as the majority of food waste in our city – over two-thirds comes from households, from you and I. This means by making small changes to how we shop, cook and handle leftovers, each and every one us can take action against food waste and make a difference.
Making a change needs the commitment from all levels of staff, ground up and top down. At Feeding Hong Kong, we are optimistic though that change can happen. More and more individuals are looking at how they can be more thoughtful in their relationship to food.
And more and more food businesses are actively seeking ways to reduce the negative environmental impact of food waste, whilst maximising the positive social impact created through donating surplus food. For these companies it’s a triple win – for our planet, for people, and for the bottom line!
The government has been pro-active in creating programmes to support and encourage businesses to take action to tackle food waste - for example the Food Wise Charter and the Food Wise Eateries Scheme. They have also introduced trial smart food waste recycling bins in housing estates across Hong Kong, as well as significantly extended the fantastic “6” recycling shops and pop-up stations across the city. This combination is powerful and positive!
However, while extending facilities and introducing new technologies and innovation, are playing a key role in tackling food waste, the most important first step is to reduce what we are throwing away in the first place. This is what drives us at Feeding Hong Kong to raise awareness about the environmental problems presented by food waste. To talk about the reality of food need in our city and to share solutions that can help – solutions such as food banking!
Food waste is a problem all year-round, but festive seasons are times when food waste can soar. The recent Mid-Autumn Festival is a perfect example! This year, we saved and redistributed over 71,000 surplus mooncakes but each year it’s estimated over 3 million unwanted mooncakes end up in our city’s landfill.
Christmas can similarly be a time of food excess. But the good news is that there are lots of small steps that every individual can take to reduce food waste, both across the festive season and throughout the year.
Planning meals ahead of time and making a detailed shopping list is a practical way to avoid over-purchasing ingredients. It's amazing how going in with a shopping list can keep you focused and curb the temptation of festive impulse buys which may end up getting wasted!
For most of us, Christmas is a time to celebrate with extra special meals. However, for Hong Kong’s most vulnerable, such celebrations are often far from reach – when you’re struggling to afford the basics, festive treats are tough. This is where the Feeding HK Santa Sack Campaign comes in!
With your support, we are aiming to deliver 6,000 special festive food packs – our “Santa Sacks” – across our charity network this festive season. Each “Santa Sack” is tailored for either a family or senior and is packed with enough wholesome non-perishable ingredients for 10 meals - plus some extra festive goodies!
You can support our campaign by dropping off donations of rice, noodles or canned food at one of our Community Collection points – we have over 10 scattered across Hong Kong. Or you can make a financial gift. For every $150 you donate, we can source, pack and deliver one extra special food parcel for a family or senior this festive season – it’s a Christmas gift that will truly make a difference.
Listeners can find out more on our website at feedinghk.org. Here you can also sign up to our monthly newsletter to learn more about Feeding HK’s work across the community and how you can get involved.
Every day of the year, Feeding Hong Kong is on a mission to bridge the gap between surplus and need in our city. But we cannot do it alone. With your help though, we can deliver an extra serving of food and joy this festive season, and continue to join hands across the community to feed people, not landfills!
This morning I would like to dedicate The Onion Song by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.
重溫
Innocent Mutanga, Founder and CEO of Africa Center Hong Kong
Good morning, my name is Innocent Mutanga, the Founder and CEO of Africa Center Hong Kong. Africa Center is a platform and creative hub that fosters value-creating interactions between African and non-African communities in Asia. Our mission is to bridge cultural differences and foster relations and cultural understanding between communities. We are a social enterprise dedicated to fulfilling the needs of our clients while promoting diversity and community representation.
Throughout our journey, we have collaborated with over 70 schools, reaching more than 50,000 students over the 5 years since our establishment. In addition to working with schools, we have formed partnerships with corporates, NGOs, consulates, and the general public.
One of the key goals at Africa Center is to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding black individuals in Asia. We call this campaign “Rebranding Blackness”. The struggles faced by black individuals living or visiting Asian countries are complex and multifaceted. We often encounter challenges such as stereotypes, discrimination, and a lack of representation. One of the most prevalent issues is the perpetuation of negative stereotypes about black people. Limited exposure and understanding have led some individuals to hold preconceived notions associating black individuals with criminality or low intelligence. These stereotypes result in biased treatment, social exclusion, and even harassment.
Discrimination against ethnic minorities in Hong Kong occurs in various forms, ranging from everyday microaggressions to more overt acts of racial prejudice. For instance, on my daily commute to the office, I often witness people choosing to stand rather than sit next to me on the MTR, even when there are empty seats available. This is just one example of the subtle forms of discrimination we experience. In more severe cases, ethnic minorities are denied housing opportunities solely based on their race. These microaggressions and racial prejudices not only have a socio-economic impact on our community but also take a significant toll on our mental well-being.
The employment prospects for qualified individuals from our community are hindered by anti-black biases in Hong Kong. Even highly talented individuals with advanced degrees may find themselves underemployed, working as dishwashers in restaurants due to these racial biases.
As a black person living in Hong Kong, my experience can be summed up in two words: caution and curiosity. We often encounter caution and fear from the older generations who unfortunately also hold the keys to our employment opportunities and access to grants and funding for starting businesses. On the other hand, we receive curiosity from the younger generation, who are more open-minded but vulnerable to influences from their parents and teachers. It is disheartening to discover that a significant number of students when asked if their parents warned them to be careful of black people before visiting our centre, raise their hands. Usually, 90% of kids raise their hands if we ask them if they have been verbally warned by their parents to be careful of us prior to the workshop. This demonstrates the extent of the misconceptions that persist in society.
However, there are heartwarming encounters that remind us of the potential for change. For example, a Chinese boy who attended our African Kidz club expressed his love for our food and suggested having a Fufu Festival in Hong Kong. Additionally, there was an instance where a child approached me on the MTR, and we started playing together, just like any other African child would. I was pleasantly surprised when the parent didn't intervene. Unfortunately, such situations are rare, and most parents tend to quickly remove their children from these interactions. These small enlightening moments give people like me the incentive to strive for change and challenge the negative perceptions of Africans and ethnic minorities. As Nelson Mandela once said, "No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."
Despite Hong Kong's diversity, stereotypes, biases, and discrimination persist within society. As a political refugee who has experience navigating and overcoming complex systems, I am committed to assisting others; Refugees and non-refugees are alike who are faced with complex systems in their lives that make it hard or even impossible to survive, live or thrive
Education has the power to challenge prejudices, dismantle barriers, and promote inclusivity. By providing resources, mentorship, and support, we can empower marginalized communities and foster a more equitable society. Through awareness, dialogue, and collaboration, we can create a Hong Kong that embraces diversity and upholds justice and equality.
Our immediate goals are twofold. Firstly, we aim to connect with open-minded teachers, company leaders, and community figures who are willing to make a social impact by inviting us to their respective communities, schools, or churches. This will allow us to share our experiences and cultures, helping to create a more inclusive society for Africans and other ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. Secondly, we hope to obtain resources such as funding and skilled volunteers to support our initiatives directly benefiting the African and ethnic minority communities, including career workshops, networking opportunities, and entrepreneurship training.
In conclusion, it is crucial for the government and our community to take collective action to improve the care and support for ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. By fostering inclusivity, challenging stereotypes, and providing equal opportunities, we can create a society that values diversity and upholds the principles of equality and inclusion. Thank you for your time and for considering our message. We believe that together, we can make a difference and create a more inclusive and accepting Hong Kong. As a token of appreciation, we would like to dedicate a song to the people of Hong Kong. The song is called “Amani” by one of my favourite bands called Beyond. A song with Swahili lyrics (an East African Language) by a band that would go above and beyond to extend a hand to support other groups' struggles with their visits or music. I hope that this song resonates with you and encourages you to maintain Hong Kong’s “Beyond Spirit”!
Thank you!
