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The Director of Social Welfare, Mr Patrick Nip, has appealed to the business community and the welfare sector to continue to forge partnerships in running more meaningful welfare projects to help the disadvantaged with the sponsorship of the Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged (PFD).
Speaking at the PFD - Experience Sharing Session today (November 15), Mr Nip said that the setting up of the PFD was aimed at encouraging tripartite partnership between the welfare sector, the business community and the Government to help the disadvantaged, and creating a cohesive, harmonious and caring society.
"Six rounds of PFD application have been launched since its inception in 2005. I am very glad to see that the number of participating business organisations and welfare non-governmental organisations (NGOs), particularly non-subvented ones, as well as the amount of donations, are all on the increase," he said.
"Just taking the Sixth Round as an example, the number of participating business organisations is 334, which is 23 per cent higher than that of the Fifth Round. The total amount of business donations has increased by 15 per cent to $70.89 million, whereas the number of participating non-subvented NGOs has risen sharply by 37 per cent to 41.
"I would like to thank all the business partners for their support for the PFD projects. Their kind support has ensured the successful implementation of the projects, benefiting over 800 000 disadvantaged people," Mr Nip added.
He also extended his special thanks to members of the Advisory Committee of PFD for their valuable advice and recommendations on the vetting and approval of applications as well as the development and improvement of the Fund.
A total of 260 participants from 144 business corporations and NGOs attended the PFD - Experience Sharing Session today. Mr Nip said he hoped that the sharing session could enable them to get to know more new partners and team up to run more welfare projects with the sponsorship of the PFD as a way to enhance the quality of life as well as the skills and work abilities of the disadvantaged, promoting their integration into the community.
As one of the guest speakers, the Executive Director of Hans Andersen Club Limited, Ms May Wong, spoke on how to facilitate the formation of partnerships and their sustainability. Since 2004, her NGO has received from business corporations total donations of more than $10 million to run various welfare projects. Ms Wong cited a PFD project, "Little Links, Unlimited Dreams", as an example to illustrate the importance of a good partnership with the business sector. In the project, corporate volunteers from Societe Generale made good use of their business mindset and expertise to provide leadership training and mentorship for students and to promote the learning skills and healthy development of children with disabilities through storytelling. She encouraged NGOs to continue to seek further partnership with business corporations.
The Government has injected a total of $400 million into the PFD on two occasions, in 2005 and 2010. Matching grants will be provided to donations made by business organisations to support welfare NGOs in running welfare projects. So far, $180 million has been approved for 125 welfare NGOs, together with 790 business partners, to implement 442 welfare projects. Over 800 000 disadvantaged people have benefited from the PFD.
The Seventh Round Application was opened to NGOs on September 1 and will be closed on December 31. For details, please visit the Social Welfare Department's webpage (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_supportser/sub_partnership).
Ends/Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:05
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