By Doris Fok, Tin Shui Wai Community Development Network

HER Fund granted HK$21,800 last year to support Tin Shui Wai Community Development Network to conduct a community survey on the needs of childcare services in Tin Shui Wai with the aim to bring the voices of low income women in the area to community concern.

The traditional division of gender roles has generated the perception that women are often regarded as primary caregivers in the family. Many women have no choice but to give up their own careers or self-development opportunities to look after their young children – Staying at home and turning in 24-hour no income caregivers. For those grassroots women who need to work to earn a living, they are forced to take the risks of being charged with leaving children at home alone unattended, or child neglect. The burden they have to shoulder have increased and they are unfortunately trapped in a disadvantaged situation.

Parents, beyond doubts, should be the primary caregivers for their children. However, the government and the society as a whole could also play a more active role in providing assistance in childcare. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (which Hong Kong recognizes) Chapter 18 states: "Parties shall support the parents in fulfilling their responsibilities for children to give appropriate assistance; and shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that children of working parents have the right to benefit from childcare services and facilities for which they are eligible."

Today, the government rarely fulfills the obligations of caring for children - providing public childcare services and facilities. According to the Social Welfare Department, there were only about 2,000 places in whole-day or half-day childcare services for children aged 0-3 in September 2010, which was less than 2% of the total population of children of the same age range. For children of other age groups, childcare services are equally inadequate.

To ease the pressure on the grassroots over childcare, to free women from the burden of primary caregiver, and to achieve gender equality in the division of labour, the government must assume greater responsibility in providing childcare services. As a result, children of different ages can enjoy proper and appropriate care.

In addition, the value of childcare work must not be under-estimated. The government has undertaken a number of mutual-help childcare centers and Neighbourhood Support Childcare Projects (Community Nurse Farm Plan), but these centers and programs pay women workers only a nominal volunteer allowance. This has negatively affected women’s labor value and women are not fairly protected in the labor market. Caregivers, predominately women, should get reasonable remuneration for their work to provide them with a degree of economic security, to promote women’s economic status in the society and to reduce the feminization of poverty.

We also recommend that the government draw on overseas experience, while attending to local needs, to develop a wide and flexible childcare service network, which may include providing vouchers or subsidies to middle and lower class families, so they can choose appropriate childcare services. Meanwhile, the government can consider creating job opportunities for community care workers. For example, trained and authorized parents provide timely, conveniently-located and flexible childcare services. This could increase employment opportunities for women in the community, thereby improve their living conditions. Women - the primary caregivers – should also actively explore and provide childcare services, which contribute to a gender-sensitive childcare program.

Ah Lai, who lives in Tin Shui Wai, is one of the 100 interviewees who have taken part in this year’s TSW Mothers Movement funded by HER Fund since March. The goal of the project is to identify and organize mothers in Tin Shui Wai to press for stronger government support in providing childcare services.

Ah Lai moved from the mainland to Hong Kong nine years ago to reunite with her husband. When her two daughters were 10 and 8 years old, she gave birth to their third child. While Ah Lai dreamed of better days ahead, her husband became acquainted with drugs and deserted the family. To make matters worse, her husband’s family refused to help her and even ridiculed her.

With no sources of support, Ah Lai felt utterly helpless. Due to financial and emotional pressures, she eventually suffered from chronic stomach problems, an illness that made her situation increasingly difficult. To raise money for medical expenses, Ah Lai had to sell all her gold ornaments. "My drug-addict husband just left home and never came back to see the children," she says.

"I was in bed all day when my stomach hurt. I couldn't even stand up to cook," Ah Lai recalls. Then her two daughters, who were primary school kids, became Ah Lai's best helpers, taking care of their little sister as well as doing household chores such as mopping the floor and rinsing the baby milk bottles. Ah Lai feels grateful for having two helpful daughters yet there is also a sense of regret for putting her children in such a difficult situation.

Ah Lai tried to apply for services in a nearby childcare centre yet the staff there refused her application because her daughter was not yet two years old. "If there was somebody who could help me to take care of the baby, my stomach problem would not be so bad."

Ah Lai has not yet recovered from her stomach problem and has to visit the clinic regularly. Last year, she was diagnosed with suffering from a mood disorder and must undergo regular psychotherapy. Ah Lai understands that holing up at home would only make matters worse so she actively takes part in voluntary work. "One has to go outside and get involved in the community to be happy," she says.

There are many grassroots mothers in Tin Shui Wai who share Ah Lai's problems. We hope their voices can be heard through this project so that the government would address their problem and improve their plight.

HER Fund's grant application procedure for the 8th grant cycle (1st April, 2011 – 31st March, 2012) is now opened. To promote Social Justice Philanthropy for Women, HER Fund believes in the wisdom and capacity of women in Hong Kong to determine their needs and aspirations, and develop strategies to work towards meeting these needs and attaining these aspirations. Economic Justice for women has always been one of our key grant making themes. We also see the difficulties of grassroots women's organizations and their initiatives to get funding resources to support their work within the current Hong Kong context. HER Fund has therefore decided to strategically prioritize our grant-making for the years between 2009 and 2012 in making effective social change:

1) Economic Justice, especially for right-based grassroots women's groups/organizations;

2) Innovative Projects with new marginalized groups, e.g. Young girls' right-based projects and creative programmatic approaches or methodologies.

The application for year 2011/2012 (from 1st April 2011 to 31st March 2012) is now opened. Deadline for application is 18th January, 2011 (Tuesday). Guide to Application and Application Form can be downloaded from HER Fund website. Should you have further queries, please feel free to contact our Programme Officer Ms. Judy Kan by 2794-1100 or e-mail: judy.kan@herfund.org.hk.

December is the month that HER Fund starts its 88 Days Campaign and this year we're launching Share Talent. "Share Talent" is an innovative fundraising initiative of HER Fund. It is an online platform that allows easy search and registration for interest classes or training programs sponsored by commercial class providers, conducted by voluntary Talent teachers and talented individuals in the community. The course fees will be donated (fully or partially) to HER Fund for supporting women's and girls' rights work.

The concept of Share Talent came from friends of HER Fund. Many friends have volunteered to teach dance classes and have donated all the tuition fees to HER Fund to support the work of women's and girls' rights. Last year, those donated tuition fees provided a stable income for HER Fund. HER hopes to gather all the fellows and class instructors to continue their good work in future.

In Share Talent, there are volunteer Line Dance instructors, including Eliza, Kitty, Juliet, Winnie, Joyce, Belly Dance instructor Devi and Janaki, as well as Yoga class instructors Mandy and Roni. At the same time, we are honoured to have the support from Hong Kong Western Dance Council, Coby Coby Dance and Klub Raks to sponsor some quotas of their courses. HER Fund will continue to organize more courses with the help from other organizations and individuals, so as to provide more course options for donors and those who are interested to join the classes. Details of the courses can be downloaded from our website.

Share Talent also provides a platform for your talent! You may wish to start a class on the Talent Platform for, say, dancing, playing musical instruments, cooking and baking, craftworks or any other skills. Tuition fees collected will be donated to HER Fund for charity purposes. By sharing your talent with others in the community, you may start your new career as well as do good to others.

We believe, with hearts for women, Share Talent will help more women to protect their rights in future.

It is time for you to celebrate Chinese New Year with your family and friends. HER Fund appreciates the generous support of Secrets de France for donating 10% of the total purchase amount to HER Fund for charitable purpose. Our friends, let's order wine from HER Fund and share the joy with your family and friends as well as support HER Fund. The more you buy, the more women and young girls will benefit.

Please click here for wine details and ORDER.

HER Fund invites you to be our Talent Sharing instructor. You can share your talents and your expertise, such as baking, handicraft works, teaching musical instruments, or anything that you can name. Spend one or two hours a week to be our Talent Sharing Instructors on a voluntary basis, and all the tuition fees will come as donation to HER Fund to support women and girls' rights work. Share your talents, have fun with your students and support a good cause...all-in-one with HER Fund!

If you are interested in being HER Fund’s Talent Sharing Instructors, please contact us at 2794 1100.

HER Fund Annual report 2009-2010 has been published. For a hard copy, please call us at or email us at info@herfund.org.hk. To download a copy, please click here.