TEN CASUALLY dressed, formerly unemployed women sit in a circle in a convenience store on the campus of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, discussing their enterprise. One of them, Cheung Yuet, a former part-time laundry worker, domestic helper and cook, says she never imagined taking part in such a formal meeting as a part-owner of her own store.
'As the end of the year is just around the corner, we'll spend more time discussing budgets and future changes in our regular meeting every week,' says Cheung, 41.
Three years ago, the Hong Kong Women Workers' Association helped this group win a bid to run the campus store, not as a normal business, but as a co-operative - a self-governing enterprise formed by people to meet their economic and social needs, and who share common values including democracy, equality and compassion.
When the women started the store in 2001, they each earned $1,000 a month, working eight hours a day, four days a week. Today, their income has risen to more than $3,000 a month.
But unlike a normal business, there is no boss or employer among them, and Cheung and her workmates treat each other as equal partners and friends. The group members are motivated more by their camaraderie than by money, and Cheung says she is happy, despite the meagre income.
The group of women is one of 15 co-operatives established with the help of various social groups in Hong Kong in recent years.
