Source:
https://scmp.com/comment/letters/article/2186304/let-chinese-new-year-festivities-be-time-remember-less-fortunate
Comment/ Letters

Let Chinese New Year festivities be a time to remember the less fortunate

  • At a time when personal needs are prioritised and people ready to share only with their own, acts of empathy can help spread the message of love
The charity Food Angel hosts 250 elderly people for a Lunar New Year reunion lunch in 2018. Photo: Felix Wong

While Hong Kong was jubilantly celebrating the Lunar New Year, perhaps not many in this city realised that there are some who spent the festival without the luxury of gifts or good food.

We have become a richer city since the handover in 1997, but the gap between the rich and poor is increasing by the year. What can we do?

A few organisations have taken the lead to encourage children to donate their lai see to help the needy and build awareness of the wealth gap. These include Orbis, Oxfam and The Salvation Army. Other charities have set up collection points to enable citizens to donate their leftover New Year gifts of confectionery and biscuits.

These initiatives are well-intended. People are simply too busy, and they have other preoccupations. The haves need to be reminded of the have-nots.

Schools and offices could promote the same spirit and invite students and employees to join in. Individuals can donate too, with keen participants recognised by the company.

At a time when personal needs are prioritised and people are ready to share only with their own families, these acts can help spread the message of love to every corner of society. That is the true spirit of the New Year festivities.

Jacqueline Kwan, Mid-Levels