TKT Awakening Article 003 – Fredie Hung – Ethnic Minorities Services

The diversity of our neighbourhood is one of the things that makes us quite unique in Tai Kok Tsui. To one side we have great restaurants and shopping, and to the other side we have a thriving industrial area. But have you ever wondered what exactly there is hiding away in there? 

I bet you would be surprised to know it’s not all metalwork and construction supplies. For example, tucked away in the Khora building on Bedford St is one man who is doing his part for the betterment of society. 

Please meet Fredie Hung, registered social worker, academic, linguist, and ethnic minorities services representative. 

However, it was as a result of a mini documentary about him released by RTHK that made him a prominent name and ‘go-to man’ for many of the ethnic minority peoples around the Yau Tsim Mong district. He says, he didn’t actively try to build this position as assistant to ethnic minorities but rather it was the greater community that appointed him. 

鄰睦間的社區多樣性造就了大角咀獨特的一面。你可知道，介乎在繁華鬧市和興盛工業之間，存在著甚麼？

在必發道五金重工的氣息下，有人日夜埋頭服務社會。其中就有集註冊社工、學者、語言學家和少數民族服務代表於一身的熊百祥。然而，二〇二一年於香港電台報導一輯關於熊及其服務的紀錄片後，他晉身成為油尖旺區少數族裔間的知名人物及求助的「首選人」。但他直言從沒執意選擇籍服務少數族裔而成為知名人物，而是社羣選擇了他。

DEVELOPMENT OF FREDDIE SERVICE

Over the past couple of years with all the rapidly changing regulations released by the government, many ethnic minorities people have been left at a loss trying to understand the rules of what to do and when to do it. They sometimes have trouble understanding the regulations because they can’t read the Chinese press releases and quite often the English publications don’t portray the messages well enough for some people to follow. That’s where Fredie has stepped in to help support the community.

He first started to meet many individuals in the Yau Ma Tei area in 2015 because of the earthquake in Nepal. He was on the ground in YMT helping the local Nepalese community raise funds and gather resources to send to the victims in Nepal.

Fredie has founded the Fredie Hung Ethnic Minorities Services (FHEMS) since the spring of 2020, right amidst the raise of the pandemic. When the health department started doing ambush lockdowns of residential buildings around Jordan, where many Nepalese natives live, the people were confused and scared as there was nobody explaining to them what was going on. This is where Fredie stepped in to be the middleman between the police and health department workers and the ethnic minorities that live in those buildings. 

服務發展

熊於二〇二〇年春開辦「熊百祥少數族裔服務處（FHEMS）」，以個人名義發起，旨在服務被香港社會忽視資訊知悉度的少數族裔。幾年來因應疫症來襲，政府因事制宜發佈眾多規例，由於英文新聞稿及資訊往往較為落後，少數族裔在抗疫路上更需跨越此語言難關。當意識到少數族裔被系統性剝奪資訊知悉權後，熊決心全力支援此等族羣。其實早在二〇一五年，就協助尼泊爾族羣為家鄉地震振災，因此尼泊爾族羣建立良好關係。正於疫情蔓延之際，熊所倡導的工作變得更為重要。其中在佐敦區圍封強檢時，當區尼泊爾人向熊表示因當局沒有向少數族裔們解釋情況，而感到徬徨無助。於是熊挺身而出，成為衛生部門及少數族裔的中間人，協助傳遞訊息。

Tai Kok Tsui – The Perfect Fit

Out of his 2700 members, the majority live in Yau Tsim Mong and Sham Shui Po districts, putting his home base of operations in Tai Kok Tsui right smack in the middle of both of these populated areas. 

There are very few members, however, who actually live in TKT. The reason for this, he says, is mostly because people are always more comfortable in areas that are populated by, and reflect, their own culture. TKT does not really have much in the way of ethnic minority focused stores, nor established places of worship, therefore they will not likely choose TKT as a place of residence. 

The idea, however, of establishing the home office of operations in TKT was a strategic decision, according to Fredie. From his experience working in a the District Councillor’s office, many people will show up totally unannounced. However, since FHEMS is a one-man operation, he cannot be in the office all day, every day, and this can be a problem for when those people randomly show up looking for him and his services. 

Even though we love our little neighbourhood, we all know that TKT is not a very public transport friendly place. It’s a little out of the way and only a very select few transport services run through here. But this is one of the major reasons why Fredie has chosen to make our little pocket of Kowloon his home base of operations.  

The lack of greater public transport therefore reduces the frequency of people showing up randomly. Instead, it’s teaching them how to check details on social media and make bookings in advanced before arriving at the office. Although, he says, from time to time there are occasions where people will walk from their homes from Jordan and So Uk, over half an hour to visit his office. 

一個絕佳的角落

約2700名服務處會員中，大多數居住在油尖旺及深水埗區，真正居住在大角咀的會員卻比較少。而大角咀則處於兩區之間，成為了服務工作的絕佳角落。熊解釋因少數族裔傾向聚居在有其族羣氣息的社區，而大角咀就沒有少數族裔店舖及其宗教場所。不過在大角咀開設少數族裔服務處是經過悉心安排，熊根據先前為區議員服務的經驗得知，很多服務使用者不會留意服務時間而隨機登門造訪。由於服務處只有熊一人運作，不能長期侯命。而大角咀在兩大區之間自成一角、旺中帶靜，交通又不如旺區完善。因此服務使用者更須注意服務時間及資料，以免白走一趟，此舉大大降低了使用者隨時登門的機率。雖然如此，熊亦聽說有人會從佐敦或蘇屋步行到大角咀，只為了親眼一睹服務處。

Between Fredie and the Community

Over the course of the past two years Fredie has continued to support the various groups of ethnic minorities and help them get informed of the latest regulations by creating “Info-Kits” for a wide range of topics including pandemic info, typhoon warnings, employee info, leave no trace, phone scams, supplying masks, sanitizer, RAT tests, stationary for school kids, and food, and much more. 

One of the projects he feels that holds great importance is the ethnic calendars he creates every year. He has recognised that calendars supplied by local District Councillors don’t properly represent the diversity of the people in the area, so he spends about one month every year compiling two versions of his ethnic calendars for his members. One version is for India/Nepal, and the other for Pakistan/Bangladesh. These calendars include the Hong Kong holidays as well as holidays and celebrations of their own cultures. 

熊百祥與社區之間

過去兩年來，熊致力支持各個少數族羣，其過製作有關疫情最新資訊及政策信息圖，幫助理解最新法規，涵蓋颱風警告、勞工資訊、電話詐騙、抗疫物資、甚至學生文具和食物等。而熊就視製作少數民族月曆為重要項目，皆因意識到一般區議員派發的月曆並無展現到當區民族多樣性。因此熊每年會花約一個月時間為他的成員編制兩份民族月曆，分別為印度／尼泊爾及巴基斯坦／孟加拉，並同時標記香港公共假期及節慶活動供參考。

Membership

Membership to the FHEMS is easy to obtain; just fill out an online form with some basic information. However, he does have a few rules and guidelines for receiving his services. His focus is on interaction and sharing. When people come to pick up the resources, he likes to have some time to sit and chat, exchange knowledge, and language. His office is full of artifacts from various religions and there are maps on the walls so that people can point out their home city and share experiences from their towns and their cultures. 

He is also fixated on promoting social responsibility, when people come to pick up resources they must bring their own bag. He does not supply plastic bags and he teaches about the “Leave No Trace” program created in the United States during the 1970’s which focused on social responsibilities and mindfulness of community, encouraging others to be socially and environmentally conscious.  

會員制度與發展

若要成為服務處會員，只需填寫基本個人資料及表格並且，遵照服務處規則即可。不過熊更著緊互動及分享，當有服務使用者登門時，熊傾心與不同人交流知識和語言。服務處擺滿各種宗教聖物、牆上掛滿各國地圖，每人都可在地圖上指出各自的家鄉，分享彼此文化及歷史。與此同時，熊亦致力推廣社會責任，例如提醒有需要人士在領取物資時，須自備容器。在早前山野潮流時，熊教授70年代於美國興起的「山野不留痕」計劃，志在於少數族裔間推廣社會責任及社區意識，亦關心所在社會及環境。

Fredie Hung has contributed a lot to the community over the past couple of  years under the guise of his ethnic minority services. He has done a lot of good for a lot of people. He is enjoying interacting with a community that much of Hong Kong turns it’s back on and takes great pleasure and pride in learning more about the various cultures and languages. 

Currently going solo, he is answering hundreds of WhatsApp and Facebook messages daily and doing his best to distribute the resources to where they are needed the most. But it’s not easy to do it alone. So, if you are reading this and wondering how you might be able to help then shoot Fredie an email or WhatsApp message. The best way people in the community can help, he says, is to donate a little of their time. Help create care packages or deliver resources around the neighbourhood. Every little bit helps.

You can contact Fredie Hung on fredieyouth@gmail.com to offer him a hand. 

近年熊於社區為少數族裔服務良多，他表示樂於與香港不同社羣接觸，在學習多元文化及語言時感到無比樂趣亦為此自豪。

熊每日需個人應付數以百計短訊，但仍樂此不疲分發物資、幫助有需要人仕。縱然如此，仍忙不迭地。如您願意抽空撥冗，歡迎以電郵（fredieyouth@gmail.com ）或WhatsApp（5519 7983）聯絡熊。