By I’m a female F&B entrepreneur pushing for positive social change. I founded Time to Gold, an award-winning social enterprise where we hire grassroots women who are in need of a job, produce traditional pastries and preserve traditional Hong Kong culture while supporting women empowerment.
What impact do you want to make in the next five years?
As forecasted by the World Health Organization, 40 percent of the Hong Kong population will be 65 or above soon. As society ages, we face new social problems including a labour shortfall and intergenerational misunderstandings and conflicts. I wish to think ahead and carry out preventive measures in the next five years, which include continuing my work of supporting elderly women who want to join the labor force—I currently employ more than 30 elderly women and hope to double that number in five years providing them with a stable income to self-sustain financially; pushing forward family friendly measures, including continuing to providing flexible working hours and short shift positions; and advocate for other corporates to do so as a committee member of the Golden Age Foundation and The Social Enterprise Summit to create greater impact; and promoting intergenerational harmony by using my social enterprise to pass on traditional culture and encourage different generations to learn to speak each other’s language in order to build a more inclusive and harmonious community.
Why is it important to you to support/inspire women/girls (in particular) in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong, like many other places, has faced challenges related to gender equality, including gender stereotyping, limited opportunities, and societal expectations. By actively supporting women and girls, we can challenge these barriers and create a more level playing field for all. When women and girls are given equal access to education, employment and leadership positions, they can contribute their unique perspectives, skills and talents to various sectors, fostering innovation and driving positive change. By advocating for and uplifting women and girls, we contribute to building a more inclusive and equitable society.
Furthermore, women constitute a significant portion of the population and possess immense untapped potential. For instance, the elderly women I employ in my social enterprise are all great chefs, however, were always undermined and assigned to low-skilled repetitive cleaning job roles. We can unlock their talent and contribution, leading to increased productivity, economic growth and social progress.
Read more: Zip Cheung and Anita Lee on why improving elder visibility in Hong Kong is important
