Operation Santa Claus: how donated neckties are changing lives of migrant and poor mothers in Hong Kong

Les Beatitudes Foundation, founded by ex-banker Margaret Leung, has taught more than 1,000 mothers sewing or collage making

Their clutches, pouches, cushion covers, tote bags and other works are sold at such places as the Asia Society

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Margaret Leung, founder of Les Beatitudes Foundation, at Haw Par Mansion in Tai Hang. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 10:00am, 12 Nov 2021

A non-profit organisation receives thousands of ties every year from corporations to be stripped and transformed into clutches, cushion covers and other art pieces by mothers from migrant and low-income families under a project to help them integrate into Hong Kong society.

This year, the ties were turned into three collage panels four metres high depicting local architectural icons such as the Hong Kong Observation Wheel, Bank of China Building, Fringe Club in Central and others.

With the HK$894,900 (US$114,880) funding from Operation Santa Claus – an annual fundraiser jointly organised by the South China Morning Post and public broadcaster RTHK since 1988 – Les Beatitudes Foundation hopes to teach 250 mothers from low-income families sewing or collage making starting next April.

Cheung Yuet-ming, a programme participant, makes a purse at Haw Par Mansion. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Founded in 2014 by former banker Margaret Leung Sin-hang, the charity has partnered with the Society for Community Organisation – a non-governmental and human rights advocacy group – who recruit women and host Les Beatitudes’ classes at its centres in Sham Shui Po. The women are given sewing or collage projects that they could complete at the centres or at home. The charity has so far trained more than 1,000 women.

Their works of clutches, pouches, cushion covers, tote bags, cardholders and more are sold at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s Design Gallery, Asia Society Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel. Others they turned into themed pieces for public exhibitions hosted in historic buildings and paired with music performances or book talks, with the mothers encouraged to attend with their families.