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Members of the public are encouraged to extend their care and love to the underprivileged during the festive season by patronising social enterprises.
The Director of Social Welfare, Mr Patrick Nip, today (December 23) visited and gave his support to social enterprises at the Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo. This year the booths, which display and sell products made by persons with disabilities, are manned by thirteen alliance members of Support the Employment of People with Disabilities (SEPD). The SEPD was formed by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and 35 non-governmental organisations operating funded businesses under the Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities through Small Enterprise Project (3E's Project), as well as vocational rehabilitation services, to represent the working abilities of persons with disabilities.
"Christmas and New Year are festive times which always remind us of the importance of sharing our joy and love with our family, relatives and friends as well as people in need and the underprivileged," Mr Nip said.
"I am pleased to note that members of the public have thrown their weight behind the social enterprises by not only giving them words of encouragement but also purchasing their products for loved ones."
Mr Nip hoped that members of the public could take the festive period as an opportunity to start putting the concept of caring consumption into practice.
Launched in 2001, the 3E's Project aims at enhancing the employment opportunities for persons with disabilities by providing seed money to assist non-governmental organisations in establishing and running small enterprises or businesses.
Over the past 10 years, the project has provided a total grant of about $46 million to create over 550 job opportunities for persons with disabilities.
There are currently 56 social enterprises employing persons with disabilities under the 3E's Project, providing a variety of products and services, such as catering, eco-tourism, retailing, cafˆm, cleansing, car beauty and mobile massage, etc.
To encourage the setting up of social enterprises to create more job opportunities for persons with disabilities, the Government has proposed to further inject $100 million into the 3E's Project. In addition, the period of active participation in welfare and charitable activities required for applicants not receiving SWD subventions will be reduced from at least five years to at least two years. The funding period for individual business will also be extended from a maximum period of two years to three years.
The SWD will seek funding approval from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council next month.
Ends/Friday, December 23, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:56
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