Purviz Shroff: An inspiration in caring for Mother's Choice babies in Hong Kong

"Ah, here's one of my pumpkins," says Purviz Shroff, as she picks up a plump Chinese baby boy, who sits comfortably against her with the start of a smile.

She entertains him by bouncing him up and down, moving his chubby little fist against his mouth and making kissing sounds. Shroff sits down on the mat in the playroom where younger babies are being massaged by a group of volunteers. Some, just a few weeks old, look curiously out from baby carriers.

The babies at Mother's Choice are all Shroff's "little pumpkins".

The charity, set up in 1987, cares for children without families and helps pregnant teenagers and young women decide whether to keep their child or opt for adoption. Mother's Choice's vision is that all girls should have a bright future and all children a loving home.

Shroff has volunteered weekday mornings at the Mother's Choice childcare home four days a week for the past 24 years. About 44 babies and children are currently under care. Shroff estimates she's seen 2,000 of her pumpkins head off to new loving families. And many of those children remain in touch with her and some now have children of their own.

She's been nominated by Mother's Choice for the Compassion Ambassador Award, one of the seven categories of this year's Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, organised by the South China Morning Post.

Shroff's husband, Rusy Shroff, comes from a family that has been based in Hong Kong since 1860. She came from the Indian city of Calcutta to marry her husband. Among their children was a son, Zarir, and it was the tragedy of his death in a car accident 24 years ago that led to her coming to work for Mother's Choice.