Love @ Po Leung Kuk

For every mother, feeling her baby growing inside of her during the 10 months of pregnancy is one of life’s most incredible journeys. Ms. Yiu, soon to be the mother of Laam Laam, could not wait to welcome her little one and start their small family, Born prematurely at just 26 weeks, Laam Laam’s tiny organs were not yet ready for the world. He spent crucial months in the hospital fighting to survive and he requires round-the-clock care – a ventilator breathes for him at all times.   Laam Laam couldn’t run and jump like other kids in the past 6 years because he had to go to the hospital for various treatments. His ventilator must be monitored constantly. As such, Ms. Yiu had no choice but to leave her job to be Laam Laam’s full-time caregiver. While the financial, physical, and emotional demands soon became overwhelming, money grew tight as the income of Ms. Yiu’s husband alone could not cover Laam Laam’s expensive medical costs.   Professional team of Po Leung Kuk Chao King Lin Early Learning Centre is helping Laam Laam on his muscle training     Thankfully, she heard about the Po Leung Kuk Chao King Lin Early Learning Centre-Special Child Center. When the professionals of the center heard about Laam Laam’s circumstances, a dedicated team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, childcare workers and social workers were fully geared up to provide holistic support for Laam Laam and his family. His performance on his speech, muscles and eating abilities were weaker than other children of his age at the beginning of training; however after 3 years of time at the center, Laam Laam made tremendous strides in developing his overall abilities.   Ms Yiu feels immensely grateful to Po Leung Kuk and the center for providing her family with comprehensive support She cherishes how their care gave her strength and courage to face each hurdle along this difficult journey. “Because if I did not hang in there with courage, who else could Laam Laam count on?” While uncertainty remains about the future of Yiu’s family, Po Leung Kuk will continue to support children with special needs and their families like Yiu’s family through the Kuk’s full backing in fostering children development and meeting their family needs.   With the assistance of Po Leung Kuk’s resources and generous contributions from donors, we are able to provide adequate and comprehensive training services for underprivileged children and families, safeguarding the children's growth and offering holistic support to families.  

帶著食物援助包來到受助者譚婆婆的家門前，隱約看到鐵閘布簾後的譚婆婆出來迎接。「係咪吳姑娘呀？好耐無見，好掛住你啊！」隨行的吳姑娘熟練的叫我們踏入家門，然後與譚婆婆一起整理桌椅。一坐下，譚婆婆又說，「婆婆唔叻，唔識字，好彩你叫吳姑娘，12345我仲識，我識叫你5姑娘。」兩人相視而笑，彷如老朋友相聚。   譚婆婆也算是保良局的「老朋友」，她2014年開始接受本局食物援助。   譚婆婆每月生活只靠長者生活津貼，女兒多年前已失去聯絡，婆婆現在獨力照顧13歲的孫女，屬跨代照顧個案。譚婆婆早年於地盤工作時弄傷了兩腿膝蓋，關節亦開始退化，近年只能靠拾紙皮增加收入，近月因疫情緣故，婆婆怕感染病毒傳染孫女，因此已放棄了拾紙皮工作，只能在生活上更加慳。她數日才捨得換一次口罩；每天早午餐加起來當一餐；每次到食物銀行拿食物，為了慳2元搭車錢，寧願步行超過30分鐘去領取物資；她常掛在嘴邊的是「希望留多一點給孫女」。   因此，當譚婆婆知道保良局扶弱計劃讓她可以得到額外的食物包時，她萬分感激保良局。「食物包有麵好正！樣樣都齊，幫輕咗我好多！我又可以煮腸仔麵俾孫女食！」婆婆拿著食物包中的超市禮券喜從心來，還興奮的告訴孫女「我哋可以去買多啲腸仔了！」   當我們關心婆婆夠吃與否時，譚婆婆感恩的說「夠了夠了，我不會多取，夠用就可以了。我哋窮，但也有人比我哋更窮，夠用就可以了！」婆婆很少為自己打算，整個傾談過程常常問我們坐得辛苦與否，又抱歉只有風扇沒有冷氣，還叮囑一段時間沒見的吳姑娘早點回工作間，「你早點回去吧，用了你一個小時，食物銀行忙著呢！」   平日分發食物援助時，吳姑娘也會把握機會關心受助者身心狀況，支援受眾物質的同時，也給予他們情緒上的關顧。但因疫情緣故，食物銀行需要支援更多基層家庭，個別關顧時間也相應減少了。吳姑娘知道我們上門訪問譚婆婆，她也特意調時間來見見婆婆，除為了來探探老朋友，也想親手將這食物包送給她，免卻她來回步行之苦。   一個食物包，一小時相聚，一見如故。食物援助紀錄表上是一個名字，背後卻是一個為照顧孫女努力生活的長者故事。分發食物，可以是機械式的工作，也可以是一個雪中送炭的咫尺善行。

(Chinese Only) 近年新興運動百花齊放，連小朋友也有份！保良局金卿幼稚園於2014/15 年度參與由保良局與香港地壺球協會的合作項目，推行全港首創幼稚園「地壺球運動」先導計劃，及後更組織了一隊地壺球校隊！   「地壺球」是港人自創運動，由蘇格蘭的「紳士運動」—冰壺演變而成，玩法簡單：比賽分成兩隊，每隊有三名隊員、六個地壺，每回合雙方輪流推發地壺，愈接近圓心區域愈高分。當初校方有見規例簡單，又能強化幼兒的肌肉發展，於是安排老師進行培訓、制定指引及購置器材，正式在高班課程引入這項運動。 「推行初期，幼兒在我們協助下組隊比賽，後來他們更自發邀請同伴入隊，玩得十分投入。」有四年教授經驗的袁敏儀主任笑稱，「大部份小朋友一開始只是隨意推出地壼，後來在老師引導下，就開始一起研究下次發球的策略。」小小的地壺鍛鍊出專注力及合作能力，殊不簡單。 地壼球還能傳授「社交禮儀」：雙方隊員賽前須握手及向對方說 "Good Curling"（打好球），賽後則說 "Good Game"（好球）。袁主任指幼兒較自我中心，學地壺球正好讓他們明白「友誼第一，比賽第二」的道理，「最重要是小朋友能面對失敗，賽後不論勝負也能主動向同伴示好，也是重要一課。」   校方曾組隊參加香港首屆校際地壺球錦標賽，最後奪亞，袁主任回想起也別有感受：「看著他們凝神貫注地發球， 很有運動員的風彩。」她指校方將繼續推廣地壺球，希望有朝一日能普及全港。