Signing off on a good cause: Chinachem Group holds Central Market tour for children with hearing needs as part of Operation Santa Claus
- Company manages revitalised venue and arranged for sign-language interpreters for visitors, who are SLCO Community Resources users
- Purpose of visit to allow children to visit ‘playground for all’ and ‘understand the importance of preserving tangible and intangible cultural heritage’
At Hong Kong’s Central Market, a group of children were on a visit, wide-eyed with fascination at the historic location. Cheerful and lively, they looked no different from other kids, except they were communicating in sign language.
The youngsters, mostly deaf or hard-of-hearing, were on a guided tour of the market on December 11, supported by volunteers and sign-language interpreters. The tour, also joined by some of the children’s parents, included the “A Date with Hing Chun Yeuk” exhibition about Hakka life and the traditional culture of seven villages in northeastern New Territories.
“I’m happy. I’ve learned the story of this market,” said 13-year-old participant Hugo Wan Chun-hin, communicating with the Post with the help of a sign-language interpreter.
“I don’t usually fully understand the guide at exhibitions. But today I am able to because we have sign-language interpreters,” he added.
The tour was hosted by Chinachem Group for the visitors, who are users of the services of SLCO Community Resources, which include sign-language education. The organisation is one of 15 charities funded by Operation Santa Claus (OSC) this year.
