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Po Leung Kuk

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Po Leung Kuk
保良局
Formation8 November 1878; 145 years ago (1878-11-08)
Founded at British Hong Kong
Legal statusActive
Headquarters66 Leighton Road, Hong Kong Island
Location
Chairman
Mrs Helena C Y TUNG PONG
Vice-chairmen
Mrs Amanda T W LEE
Miss Jenny Y C TAM
Mrs Emily H Y TANG
Mr Arnaldo Y H HO
Mr Louie S N LAM
Mr Patrick H C KWOK
Mr Andrew NGAN
Mrs Candy W K HO
Mrs Carmen K M CHOI
Ms Winnie NG, JP
Mrs Stephanie TANG
Mr Simon S W CHAN
Mr Mo K M WONG
Mr Derek MON
Mr Winson K Y LEUNG
Ms Fay H L CHEUNG
Mrs Laverna J L CHAN TONG
Ms Anna Mae KOO
Mr Teddy W T CHUNG
WebsiteOfficial website
Formerly called
Society for the Protection of Women and Children
Po Leung Kuk
Chinese保良局
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinBǎo Liáng Jú
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationBóu lèuhng guhk
JyutpingBou2 loeng4 guk6

The Po Leung Kuk, founded as the Society for the Protection of Women and Children,[1] is a charitable organisation in Hong Kong that provides support for orphaned children, education and other services.

History

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Dr. Kai Ho and colonial secretary James Stewart Lockhart at the opening of the Po Leung Kuk in 1896

In the late 19th century, abduction and trafficking of women and children were widespread in Hong Kong, under the mui tsai system. On 8 November 1878, a group of local Chinese (Lo Lai-ping, Shi Shang-kai, Fung Ming-shan and Tse Tat-shing)[2][full citation needed] presented a petition to the governor of Hong Kong, John Pope Hennessy, to set up the Po Leung Kuk to rescue the kidnapped victims, and the society was officially opened in August 1882.[3]

The stated objective of the Kuk, as it is informally known, is to care for the young and protect the innocent. In the early days, it was primarily engaged in suppressing abduction of women and children and providing shelters and education for such victims. There were some difficulties with the colonial government, as a result of cultural differences, but the overall intention of improving the lot of unfortunates was earnestly pursued. However, it has been suggested[3] that the arrangements the Kuk provided had the convenient effect of maintaining a supply of servants and potential concubines for the wealthy Chinese families of Hong Kong, in a "peculiarly Chinese form of patriarchy".[4]

Today the Po Leung Kuk has over 300 units providing a wide spectrum of services, including social services (including medical services), educational services, recycling centers, recreational services and cultural services.[5]

Services

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The Kuk currently runs more than 300 units throughout Hong Kong, providing welfare, educational, cultural and recreational services.[citation needed]

It is now known mostly for running schools in the region, with PLK Vicwood KT Chong Sixth Form College being their most widely known school.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "About Po Leung Kuk". Po Leung Kuk. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  2. ^ Centenary History of the Po Leung Kuk Hong Kong 1878–1978.
  3. ^ a b Carroll, John M. (2007). A Concise History of Hong Kong. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 60–61. ISBN 978-0-7425-3422-3.
  4. ^ Sinn, Elizabeth (1994). "Chinese Patriarchy and the Protection of Women in 19th-Century Hong Kong". In Jaschok, Maria; Miers, Suzanne (eds.). Women and Chinese Patriarchy: Submission, Servitude, and Escape. Hong Kong; London: Hong Kong University Press; Zed Books. p. 164. ISBN 1-85649-126-9.
  5. ^ "Po Leung Kuk Annual Report 2017–18". Archived from the original on 11 January 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  6. ^ "University Admission Statistics for Degree Courses 2003–2012". sfc-plk.edu.hk. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.