A mainland-born fashion designer who was crowned one of this year's outstanding young persons said she owed her success to Hong Kong's fair social system.
Mary Yu Wah, 31, left Kunming in Yunnan province and came to settle in Hong Kong with her family when she was eight. Like many new migrants she found her new world consisted of a partitioned room in a rundown neighbourhood.
'Life was difficult at that time,' Yu said. 'We lived in a room that was only big enough for a bunk-bed.'
The youngster had to work part-time to help support her family and her study, often taking on three jobs at a time. However she finally graduated from Polytechnic University and now has her own fashion label.
The recipient of one of this year's Ten Outstanding Young Persons awards thanked Hong Kong for the chances it gave her.
'There is no shortage of opportunities for people to develop themselves here,' she said. 'Hong Kong has a fair social system under which those who choose not to give up will stand a chance of succeeding.