Empowering Hong Kong's disadvantaged youth and elderly
MEY Mission
Representing Minority, Elderly and Youth our MEY(美) Programme provides dignified employment opportunities to disadvantaged groups in our recycling operations. It marks a new era of Soap Cycling’s impactful and innovative model for social inclusion.
Beyond a mere job, the participation of the local disadvantaged minority, elderly and youth in our events boosts their integration in the community and offers them opportunities to lead and come together with other members of the community.
What is
MEY(美) Programme?
The MEY (美) Programme stands for Minority, Elderly and Youth and is Soap Cycling’s vision for the next five years of our operations in Hong Kong.
Currently, this programme aims to empower the minority, elderly, and youth in the Kwai Chung neighborhood. The Kwai Tsing area has one of the highest poverty rates in Hong Kong (16.9 %). A 2015 government report also revealed that one in three elderly Hongkongers live in poverty, a population that has grown to almost half a million.
Soap Cycling’s warehouse on Wo Tong Tsui Street is surrounded by elderly centres filled with enthusiastic and talented residents looking for accessible activities in which to devote their skills and energy.
Stories of Impact
Empowering the Elderly
Hong Kong is one of the most rapidly ageing economies in the world and nearly 1 out of 3 people are over the age of 50 and nearly one in three of these people live in poverty. Through the MEY programme, members from this community get an opportunity to be economically active, find community connections and rediscover purpose and meaning in their silver years.
“ I have been working as a MEY (Minority, Elderly and Youth) Worker at Soap Cycling for 3 years. My work involves sorting and recycling soap bars at the warehouse; I also run the volunteer workshops and we work together to scrape and clean the soap so that they are new and ready for redistribution. What I really like about working here is that people from different generations are brought together through the programme.I may be old in age but I’m young at heart – the youngsters love to hang out with me.”
Mr Leung, MEY Ambassador
“ I have been working as a MEY (Minority, Elderly and Youth) Worker at Soap Cycling for 3 years. My work involves sorting and recycling soap bars at the warehouse; I also run the volunteer workshops and we work together to scrape and clean the soap so that they are new and ready for redistribution. What I really like about working here is that people from different generations are brought together through the programme.I may be old in age but I’m young at heart – the youngsters love to hang out with me.”
Mr Leung, MEY Ambassador
Bringing Generations Together
Using Soap Cycling as a platform for personal development, community integration, and social impact, the youth and elderly of Hong Kong come together, bond and form connections over the simple act of volunteering.
“The elderly really enjoy their time working with Soap Cycling. The work is not too difficult and interacting with the students and other volunteers is very stimulating for them. We need more initiatives such as these to fully utilize the skills and energy of the growing elderly population in Hong Kong.”
Bona Tsui (Tsui Cheuk Ying), 2nd Year BBA Accounting & Finance, HKU
“The elderly really enjoy their time working with Soap Cycling. The work is not too difficult and interacting with the students and other volunteers is very stimulating for them. We need more initiatives such as these to fully utilize the skills and energy of the growing elderly population in Hong Kong.”
Bona Tsui (Tsui Cheuk Ying), 2nd Year BBA Accounting & Finance, HKU
Driving Cultural Inclusion
Ethnic Minorities who call Hong Kong home, often struggle to integrate in the local community and Soap Cycling provides a platform to enable livelihood, drive a sense of belonging and generate tremendous work opportunities for them that provide a sense of purpose, nurture their skills and unlock new opportunities for growth.
Jan Amna, has been working with Soap Cycling for the last year. She has an incredible track record when it comes to volunteering opportunities and has also been recognized at the 22nd Outstanding Volunteer Awards at the Hong Kong Sheung Kung Hui Welfare Council Limited. Self-described as a conscientious person, she is eager to learn and enjoys solving problems.
Jan Amna, has been working with Soap Cycling for the last year. She has an incredible track record when it comes to volunteering opportunities and has also been recognized at the 22nd Outstanding Volunteer Awards at the Hong Kong Sheung Kung Hui Welfare Council Limited. Self-described as a conscientious person, she is eager to learn and enjoys solving problems.