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The Home Affairs Department (HAD) will hold an "Eastern District Market Fair for Social Enterprises" at the Sunken Piazza of the Hong Kong Centre for Youth Development in Chai Wan on Sunday (May 31) for social enterprises (SEs) sponsored under the department's "Enhancing Self-Reliance Through District Partnership Programme" to promote their products and services.
Ten SEs will participate in the market fair (please refer to the Annex for the full list). Admission is free and the public is welcome to visit and shop at the fair which will be held from noon to 6pm.
An HAD spokesman said, "The event aims to enhance the public's understanding of SEs and encourage the use of their products and services."
The participating SEs are engaged in various business areas, including health food, South Asian costumes and paintings, green items/re-cycling services, audio-visual production and massage services.
Individual exhibitors will also give demonstrations on their products/services and distribute discount coupons on site.
The spokesman said, "The Government aims to promote the development of SEs to increase the employment opportunities for the underprivileged, and open up channels for philanthropic organisations to satisfy needs in the community by employing business thinking and innovative ideas, with a view to building a caring culture and fostering social harmony.
The "Enhancing Self-Reliance Through District Partnership Programme", implemented by the Home Affairs Department, provides seed money to non-profit organisations to establish SEs to help the socially disadvantaged become self-reliant.
Since the programme's launch in 2006, five phases of applications have been approved, granting a total of about $88 million to 90 new SE projects and creating about 1,500 jobs for the socially disadvantaged.
To help the public select and purchase products and services provided by SEs, the HAD has also compiled and uploaded an SE directory on the dedicated website www.social-enterprises.gov.hk.
Ends/Friday, May 29, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:12
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