Face your fears, follow your dream – an inspiring message to Hong Kong’s disabled
After overcoming their own personal challenges, Kenneth Ng and his friend Willy Chung are helping others to make the most their lives
When Kenneth Ng Yiu-fai came back to Hong Kong in 2005 after obtaining a dual bachelor degree in economics and information technology in the United States, he wanted to work in IT.
But even after 100 job applications and 50 interviews, he received no offers.
The 36-year-old has suffered from involuntary contractions of his lower limbs since he was a child. It was caused by a botched medical procedure when a doctor took a sample of bone marrow tissue to find out why he was running a high fever. It meant Ng had difficulty walking.
“A lot of potential employers would say ‘Kenneth, your qualifications and interview performance are both very impressive, but our barrier-free facilities are not very adequate.’ By then I already figured out I had been rejected,” Ng said of his first job-hunting experiences.
A 2013 government census report showed there were 578,600 people with disabilities such as restricted body movement, visual impairments and hearing difficulties. Only 13 per cent, or 76,200 people, were employed.