The epidemic has hit the economy hard, and social enterprises are also experiencing difficulties. Wu Hongzeng, president of the Hong Kong Association of Social Enterprises, pointed out that according to the social enterprise directory, more than 60 social enterprises have closed their business during the epidemic. In order to survive the epidemic, there are social enterprises. Transformation, successfully turning crises into opportunities.
Some bakery shops had almost zero income at one time and were caught in a business crisis. Finally, they switched to meeting-type sales of products. Other shops launched pre-sale vouchers and used half of the proceeds to pay salaries.
Wu Hongzeng cited data from the social enterprise directory and pointed out that more than 60 social enterprises closed down under the epidemic in the past year, close to 10%.
(Photo by Ma Weijie)
The General Society of Society held a social-enterprise exchange today (31st) to share the difficulties and opportunities under the epidemic.
President Wu Hongzeng cited data from the social enterprise directory, stating that more than 60 social enterprises had closed their operations during the epidemic in the past year, close to 10%.
During the epidemic, Longcheng Bakery's business dropped sharply, and at one time it fell to only 5% of its business volume, which was almost zero income.
(Photo by Ma Weijie)
Business fell to only 5%
In the face of the epidemic, some social enterprises could not stand the severe test and closed down, and some social enterprises decided to transform.
The Longcheng Bakery in Wudu Neighbourhood Center suffered a severe drop in business under the epidemic, and it once dropped to only 5% of its business volume, which was almost zero income.
In order to improve the situation, the director of the center, Yan Hongyu, decided to transform and sell food in the form of online orders. He changed the shop into a neighbourhood school to teach the disadvantaged groups of South Asians to make bread, so that they can have skills and be able to make self-reliance.
Push pre-purchase vouchers to protect employee salaries
Many visually impaired people will devote themselves to the massage industry. However, due to epidemic prevention measures, massage parlors have to shut down intermittently. As a result, the Hong Kong Association for the Blind has set up a cafe that provides massage and coffee services to customers. The business has also been hit hard.
Director-General Gao Brigitte mentioned that in order to protect the livelihoods of the visually impaired masseurs, Hugh Cafe launched the "Enjoy Tomorrow Massage Voucher" pre-sale voucher, and half of the income will be directly paid to the masseurs participating in the plan as salaries to help them meet their financial needs. Half will be issued after the massage service is redeemed, and if there is no redemption, it will be distributed to the masseur after deducting the cost.
Under the epidemic, expansion and shift to online business
The New Mental Illness Association not only turned crises into opportunities under the epidemic, but also expanded its business in the epidemic city. In June, it opened a new restaurant, so330, which became the first restaurant in the city in the association. It also organized training with the Association for the Blind. Class, to help visually impaired employees of Cafe to provide 24-hour coffee pragmatic training courses to help them get into work. In addition, restaurants are also turning to online business, such as launching handmade dim sum and food freezers, taking advantage of the online shopping boom during the epidemic to turn crises into opportunities.