The Po Leung Kuk, founded as the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, is a

charitable organisation A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a c ...

in Hong Kong that provides support for

orphan An orphan (from the el, ορφανός, orphanós) is a child whose parents have died. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents due to death is called an orphan. When referring to animals, only the mother's condition is usuall ...

ed children, education and other services.

History

In the late 19th century,

abduction Abduction may refer to: Media Film and television * "Abduction" (''The Outer Limits''), a 2001 television episode * " Abduction" (''Death Note'') a Japanese animation television series * " Abductions" (''Totally Spies!''), a 2002 episode of an ...

and

trafficking Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. There are various ...

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) presented a petition to the

Governor of Hong Kong The governor of Hong Kong was the representative of the British Crown in Hong Kong from 1843 to 1997. In this capacity, the governor was president of the Executive Council and commander-in-chief of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kon ...

John Pope Hennessy Sir John Pope Hennessy (; 8 August 1834 – 7 October 1891), was an Irish and British politician and colonial administrator who served as the eighth Governor of Hong Kong and the fifteenth Governor of Mauritius. Early life John Pope Hennes ...

to set up Po Leung Kuk to rescue the kidnapped victims and the society was officially opened in August 1882.A Concise History of Hong Kong
by John Mark Carroll, 2007. pp60-61 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

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 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". Over time, it became apparent that greater demands were required of PLK. After several reviews by the Government, the Po Leung Kuk Incorporation Ordinance, comprising 35 clauses, was enacted in 1893, creating a more efficient system for PLK to operate under

By the end of the 1930s, the government outlawed prostitution and the keeping of "Mui Tsai" (maids), and consequently the incidence of kidnapping fell. With the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War, new social problems - such as the influx of refugees - had arisen, which brought along child abuse and abandonment. PLK expanded its service to provide vocational training and education to refugee women. During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, PLK took on more humanitarian responsibilities by providing shelter to the homeless. In the post-WWII period, PLK gradually extended its scope along with facility enhancement

In response to the rapid onset of social changes in the 1960s, PLK increased its coverage to include residential care, daycare, education, and rehabilitation of the mentally challenged. To meet these changes, the government amended the Ordinance of PLK in 1973, and the new Po Leung Kuk Incorporation Ordinance was enacted under Chapter 1040 of the Laws of Hong Kong. Following this, PLK became more involved in education services, and subsequently began to branch out to recreational services with the acquisition of land grants from the Government for a purpose-built holiday camp

Today 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.

Services

The Kuk currently runs more than 300 units throughout the SAR, providing welfare, educational, cultural and recreational services. It is now known mostly for running schools in Hong Kong, with

PLK Vicwood KT Chong Sixth Form College Po Leung Kuk Vicwood K. T. Chong Sixth Form College (KTC) is a government-subsidised sixth form college in Yau Tsim Mong District, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was established on 26 July 1991 to provide quality education to secondary pupils matriculat ...

being their most widely known school.

References

{{Reflist Children's charities based in Hong Kong Educational organisations based in Hong Kong Organizations established in 1878

History

Services

See also

References