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Have you ever thought of offering some warmth this winter by helping the underprivileged become self-reliant? Starting from this Saturday (December 14) to January 6, please come and patronise the social enterprise (SE) booths at the 48th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo (HKBPE) in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay to share the joy of caring consumption.
The Home Affairs Department will arrange for 14 SEs funded by its Enhancing Self-Reliance Through District Partnership Programme (ESR Programme) to exhibit their products and services in turns at the complimentary booths offered by the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong again this year. Visitors will not only be able to buy different products and services from the SEs, but will also support the job opportunities to the underprivileged that the SEs are offering.
The designated SE zone will cover booth Nos. 3A11 to 3A15 at the venue. The participating SEs will offer a variety of products and services, including healthy and organic food, household products, clothes and accessories, bicycle gear and healthcare massage. Some SEs will give out discount coupons and provide healthy check-ups, demonstrations of massage and ethnic hand painting on-site. Please refer to the Annex for details.
Since 2006, the ESR Programme has been providing seed money for eligible non-profit-making organisations to set up SEs which aim at creating job opportunities for the socially disadvantaged to enhance their skills and capabilities in order to enable their self-reliance and effective integration into society. Total funding of about $170 million has been approved in 14 phases of applications to about 150 new SE projects, creating some 2 500 job opportunities.
The 48th HKBPE will be open from 11am to 10pm, and will close at 8pm on the last day of the exhibition. Admission tickets are $10 each. Children 1 metre tall or less, senior citizens aged 65 or above and persons with disabilities will be admitted free of charge.
Ends/Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Issued at HKT 14:30
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