Tsuen Wan West Community Living Room Opens: YWCA Empowers Subdivided Unit Women
The 'Tsuen Wan West Community Living Room', operated by the Hong Kong Christian Women's Association (YWCA), officially opened today (June 8). Located in a densely populated area of Tsuen Wan, this community living room is sponsored by the Shaw Foundation for the venue, funded by the Community Care Fund, and run by the YWCA. It provides additional living space, community support, and resource referral to support subdivided flat households and improve their daily living environment. Through value-added services such as women empowerment and youth S.T.E.A.M. education, it offers grassroots citizens opportunities to connect with the community and advance their futures.
The Tsuen Wan West Community Living Room has been in trial operation since March. The opening ceremony today was attended by Chief Secretary for Administration Mr. Eric Chan Kwok-ki, Chairman of the Shaw Foundation Mr. Chen Wei-man, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Mr. Chris Sun Yuk-han, and YWCA President Dr. Li Suk-ying, among others, who toured the facility.
Tsuen Wan is one of the New Territories areas with a high concentration of subdivided flats. According to the Census and Statistics Department's 2021 data, Tsuen Wan District has about 6,484 subdivided flat households, housing over 15,000 people. A report by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service on low-income subdivided flat households shows that in the Tsuen Kwai Tsing District, 75% of subdivided flat households have children, reflecting the urgent need for additional living space, children's study space, and community support for grassroots families.
The Tsuen Wan West Community Living Room is located on the 6th floor of One Hundred Club, 118 Chuen Lung Street, Tsuen Wan, near core residential areas such as Yeung Uk Road, Yi Pei Square, and Sha Tsui Road, which are hubs for subdivided flat households and grassroots residents. The hardware design of the community living room uses a 'patchwork' theme, connected by white cotton threads, symbolizing Tsuen Wan's important role in Hong Kong's thriving textile industry in the past and signifying the YWCA's partnerships that weave connections in the community, gathering blessings from all to brighten the lives of subdivided flat families in Tsuen Wan.
The Tsuen Wan West Community Living Room project is another program aligned with the government's 'targeted poverty alleviation' policy, following the YWCA's 'Strive and Rise Programme' and 'After-school Care Service Scheme'. In addition to 12 basic living facilities to meet daily needs, the community living room has developed distinctive value-added services under the YWCA, including women empowerment and advancement programs, S.T.E.A.M. education, and support for students with special educational needs (SEN) and their parents. Through skills development, employment courses, parenting education, and health-themed activities, it helps grassroots members of all ages build capabilities, broaden horizons, connect with the community, and foster an inclusive community with a sense of belonging and mutual support.
