Hong Kong NGO gets rustic site in New Territories to build 100 temporary homes for families facing hard times
- Tenants will get help to uplift themselves, exploring ways to set goals, use talents to earn a living
- Social enterprise Light Be among groups using HK$5 billion fund to build temporary homes
Light Village, next to Tin Shui Wai MTR station, will provide temporary homes for more than 300 people and is expected to be ready for occupation by 2022.
The group behind it, Light Be, has leased a 30,000 sq ft site for the project from New World Development for a token HK$1 (12 US cents) and has applied for government funding and town planning approval.
“We hope future tenants of our village can use their temporary homes as a stepping stone to carve out more economic opportunities by harnessing their own creativity and interests,” said Light Be chief executive Ricky Yu Wai-yip.
Founded in 2010, the social enterprise focuses on housing, and for its earlier projects, sourced property from owners at prices 20 to 40 per cent lower than the market rate.
