Social News
Written by: Zhang Jiamin
2020-01-22 00:00
Last updated: 2020-01-22 00:00Near the New Year's Eve, many families changed their homes to new clothes, but some grassroots citizens may not be able to afford it. This year, the URA will cooperate with architecture students from three universities in Hong Kong to create new furniture for 15 grassroots families.
One of the beneficiaries, Ms. Zhao, lived in a mortuary unit in Kwun Tong District. As her 2-year-old son gradually grew taller, the original bed frame became inappropriate. The CUHK architecture student spent 3 months building a telescopic bed frame for her, which can be extended with the height of her son, making the beneficiary family satisfied.
Students from CUHK sent the finished products to Ms. Zhao's home. (Photo provided by URA)
Ms. Zhao currently has a family of three, including a 2-year-old son, who lives in a 100-square-foot mortuary unit in Kwun Tong District. The monthly rent is about 5,500 yuan. As Ms. Zhao is a housewife, her husband who serves the delivery of plane meals has become the backbone of the family's economy. They have not received CSSA and rely on her husband to earn about 14,000 to 16,000 yuan a month to support the family.
As the child grows older in the family, the size of the original crib becomes unsuitable, and the limited space in the mortuary unit makes it difficult for Ms. Zhao to buy a suitable crib on the market. The economic environment at home makes it difficult for Ms. Zhao to afford the cost of ordering furniture. After being referred by a social worker, she participated in the "Learning and Caring" activity organized by the URA. She was awarded the CUHK's architecture student to design and build a telescopic bed frame for her, so that she could follow her son's body shape. Change the height of the bed frame.
Luo Qicong, a 2-year-old boy from the beneficiary family, was very happy with the new bed frame. (Photo provided by URA)
A bed frame made by 4 fourth-year students of the Architecture Department of CUHK. (Photo provided by URA)
Four fourth-year students from the Architecture Department of CUHK visited Ms. Zhao for the first time in mid-October last year, and then made home visits again in December to ensure that they met her needs. They used the leftover wood recovered at the construction site, sanded and coated the protective oil, and completed it in early January. Participating students are referred to as making furniture for human use for the first time. They also encountered difficulties in the process of making, especially the limited space in their homes. They needed to be very accurate when measuring their dimensions. However, they continued that when they saw that the beneficiary's son liked the new bed, they were also satisfied.
The URA has launched a "Study, Care and Caring" volunteer program since 2012, in which it has cooperated with 32 colleges and universities and regional service agencies, benefiting more than 2,400 residents of old districts. The "Upgrade and Rebuild" furniture event is held for the third year. This year, it cooperated with a total of 82 students from CUHK, HKU and HKUST, and with 18 URA employees, and 15 of them lived in Central and Western District, Kwun Tong and To Kwa Wan Grass-roots homes in the old quarter create furniture.
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URA Mortuary