Latest news with #NGO
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Housing-starved Hong Kong turns Covid quarantine site into hostel
Once designated a quarantine facility during the Covid pandemic, a sprawling site in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong, is set to be home to a youth hostel for thousands of young people, as the city deals with a housing crisis. The project in Kai Tak, named Runway 1331 - after a former airport on the site - opened on Sunday for trial operations, offering 250 rooms for rent starting at HK$200 ($25; £19) a night. It's part of Hong Kong's Youth Hostel Scheme, which aims to house young people at affordable rates while they save up to rent or buy their own place. Houses in Hong Kong are among the most expensive in the world - and notoriously small. With waits for public rental flats lasting five years on average, many opt to rent subdivided flats where dozens of tenants are packed into a single apartment unit, also known as "coffin homes". In 2020, the first facility under Hong Kong's Youth Hostel Scheme started operations. The scheme supports non-governmental organisations to build and operate youth hostels where people can live for up to five years. There are currently two facilities in operation - both in the northwestern New Territories - which offer rooms to people aged 30 or below. The hostel unveiled in Kai Tak on Sunday offers rooms for people aged 40 or below. It also aims to be a cultural hub, with some rent-free rooms set aside for tenants with creative talents. These tenants are expected to give back to the community by organising workshops and other events to share their skills, according to local media. "We hope Runway 1331 ultimately will develop into the world's biggest incubator for the youth," said entrepreneur Winnie Chiu Wing-kwan, who is developing the project with a state-owned enterprise, the South China Morning Post reported. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau said it hoped the community would also promote exchanges among Hong Kong tenants and youth from mainland China and abroad. The 11.5-hectare (28.4 acres) site, which consists of 3,000 unused quarantine rooms with private toilets, is expected to be fully operational later this year. There had been calls for such Covid quarantine facilities to be repurposed to fill the intense housing demand. The facility in Kai Tak is one of several quarantine sites that were built during the pandemic, and which could collectively house hundreds of thousands of people. As Covid restrictions lifted and these facilities emptied, calls mounted for them to be repurposed into residences to combat the city's yearslong housing shortage.
BBC News
11 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Hong Kong housing woes: Quarantine site turned into youth hostel
Once designated a quarantine facility during the Covid pandemic, a sprawling site in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong, is now home to a youth hostel for thousands of young people, as the city deals with a housing project in Kai Tak, named Runway 1331 - after a former airport on the site - opened on Sunday for trial operations, offering 250 rooms for rent starting at HK$200 ($25; £19) a night. It's part of Hong Kong's Youth Hostel Scheme, which aims to house young people at affordable rates while they save up to rent or buy their own in Hong Kong are among the most expensive in the world - and notoriously small. With waits for public rental flats lasting five years on average, many opt to rent subdivided flats where dozens of tenants are packed into a single apartment unit, also known as "coffin homes".In 2020, the first facility under Hong Kong's Youth Hostel Scheme started operations. The scheme supports non-governmental organisations to build and operate youth hostels where people can live for up to five are currently two facilities in operation - both in the northwestern New Territories - which offer rooms to people aged 30 or hostel unveiled in Kai Tak on Sunday offers rooms for people aged 40 or below. It also aims to be a cultural hub, with some rent-free rooms set aside for tenants with creative tenants are expected to give back to the community by organising workshops and other events to share their skills, according to local media."We hope Runway 1331 ultimately will develop into the world's biggest incubator for the youth," said entrepreneur Winnie Chiu Wing-kwan, who is developing the project with a state-owned enterprise, the South China Morning Post Home and Youth Affairs Bureau said it hoped the community would also promote exchanges among Hong Kong tenants and youth from mainland China and 11.5-hectare (28.4 acres) site, which consists of 3,000 unused quarantine rooms with private toilets, is expected to be fully operational later this had been calls for such Covid quarantine facilities to be repurposed to fill the intense housing facility in Kai Tak is one of several quarantine sites that were built during the pandemic, and which could collectively house hundreds of thousands of people. As Covid restrictions lifted and these facilities emptied, calls mounted for them to be repurposed into residences to combat the city's yearslong housing shortage.
Washington Post
a day ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Maryland aims to help former fed workers find jobs — and ease teacher shortages
For years, Scott Neilitz conducted analyses for a nongovernmental organization to assess the impact of its efforts. It was a job he was passionate about, but he was laid off this year as the Trump administration cut the federal workforce and funding. Neilitz tried applying for other positions in the nonprofit sector, but he found himself competing with thousands of qualified workers for the same posting.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Speaker urges representatives to work in a people-friendly manner
Mangaluru: Panchayats are the heart of a village, where the dreams of village governance are realised. When people's representatives work in a people-friendly manner, the development of the village becomes possible, said Karnataka assembly speaker UT Khader. He was speaking during the inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremony of various development projects within the jurisdiction of Neermarga gram panchayat, jointly organised by Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat, Mangaluru taluk panchayat, and NGO Hasiru Dala on Friday. "Through village development, the development of the state and the country is possible," said Khader. "When representatives accept both compliments and criticism in public life, success becomes attainable. We have the responsibility to create a harmonious and beautiful environment for future generations. When large-scale plans are made for the development of villages, job creation will occur naturally. I will strive to secure a govt grant of Rs one crore for the new commercial complex in Neermarga," he said. The event was presided over by Neermarga gram panchayat president Shridhar Chikkabettu. New projects The inauguration of a new waste disposal unit (Swachh Complex) built at a cost of approximately Rs 60 lakh in Bondathila village, the foundation stone laying for a commercial complex of the gram panchayat costing Rs 5 crore, the foundation stone laying for a gym building costing Rs 12 lakh in Tharigudde, the inauguration of an SC/ST community centre costing Rs 12 lakh in Kombellachil of Bondathila, and the release of a blueprint for 57 housing sites were held.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong recorded 1,138 suicides last year, highest number since 2003
Hong Kong recorded 1,138 suicides last year, the highest number since 2003, with the rate for men aged 30 to 49 jumping sharply in a 12-month period, an NGO said on Saturday. Advertisement The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong released the findings of its analysis of the Coroner's Court's data, which showed a 4 per cent rise in the number of deaths from suicide compared with 2023. It urged society to maintain its focus on mental health and called for enhanced preventive efforts and support services. Heymans Wong Hon-chi, the organisation's chairman, said the suicide rate hit 15.1 per 100,000 people last year, the highest since 2003, adding that there were about 3.12 suicide deaths per day in Hong Kong on average. He said the suicide rate among men aged 30 to 39 rose from 19.05 in 2023 to 24.38 last year. The rate for men aged 40 to 49 increased from 22.06 to 27.46. 'Men generally pay close attention to the economy and their employment prospects. We all know that the overall economic situation last year was not at its best or most ideal,' Wong said. Advertisement 'Men in this particular age group often carry many burdens. Other than their career achievements, they are often caregivers or the major breadwinners for their families, which intensifies their stress.'
