Homelessness is one of the things Hong Kong and New York have in common, two of the most expensive cities in the world.
In New York, you often see homeless people sitting on the corners near high-end shops around Time Square or Broadway, hoping for some charitable people to walk by.
In Hong Kong, however, some homeless elderly prefer small dark alleys and stay away from people as they become marginalized and believe they are burdens to people or society.
They decide to camp on the streets while waiting for their eternal end to arrive.
According to the Hong Kong Audit Commission Department report in 2023, the number of registered homeless people in Hong Kong reached 1,564, 2.6 times that in 2013. However, there are many more homeless people than the government reported. The number is still on the rise.
The most common reason for people seeking shelter on the streets is unemployment. Having no job in an expensive city like Hong Kong means you can’t afford to pay rent or find anywhere affordable.
Abandoned Old Lady
Recently, an 81-year-old lady was said to have been abandoned by her family and was forced to sleep at the corner of a street in Tai Kok Tsui, in Kowloon.There was talk about the 81-year-old being abandoned by her children for being too old and losing her identity card.
Additionally, some neighbors suspected that she was suffering from dementia.
On the afternoon of April 17, thanks to the help from the volunteers at Homeless Link, The Epoch Times reporter finally found Ms Chan resting at a park in Tai Kok Tsui.
Despite the stuffy heat outside, Chan was still wearing a heavy sweater. A rope was tied around the waist of the 81-year-old.
If you walked past Chan, she wouldn’t seem sad or dirty to you. Her eyes twinkle, and she would talk and greet the neighbors.
There was not a single sad wrinkle on her face.
Mann, a volunteer of Homeless Link, revealed that Chan has been on the streets in Tai Kok Tsui for about two years. The neighbors have been kind enough to offer her food and clothing to help her stay warm and fed.
Chan survives on trash cans and cardboard boxes she picks up daily. “She rarely tells anyone her past, and she is very cautious with strangers,” Mann said.
She told the reporter that during the day, she would carry her belongings to the same park in Tai Kok Tsui, whereas when night falls, she would move to a shop entrance for shelter.
The Little Things
When Chan was chatting with the reporter, a South-Asian man riding his bike approached Chan and said, “Delivery from a friend.”He left after handing Chan a bag of steaming hot food with just a few simple words.
Chan was excited. She reached for the food with a grateful and joyous smile and thanked the young man repeatedly as he biked away.
“I do not know him. But he often visits me and gives me food.” She murmured.
When Thieves Steal from the Homeless
How challenging life can be for an 81-year-old living on the streets, weathering heat, cold, rain, and storms for over two years, is unimaginable.Sadly the weather is not the only thing Chan has to worry about. Someone stole her two carts with her belongings in them not long ago.
She was angry when she recalled the robbery, “Someone stole my only two carts. I need to carry things in my arms day and night instead.” She used the two carts to keep her belongings.
Chan said she did not call the police because the police would not entertain “trash” like her.
The robbery is also why Chan wears a sweater under the hottest sun. She carries her valuables inside it before securing them tightly with the rope around her waist.
The Greatest Sacrifice
Granny Chan tells the reporters that she has a daughter who has been married for a while and currently lives in San Po Kong, Kowloon.It may seem the strangest thing to most people, but her daughter visits her every month or so.
In Hong Kong, it is common for daughters to move in with their husband’s families once they get married. Many older and traditional people also believe that once a daughter gets married, she will become the in-laws’ daughter and no longer theirs.
A Home She Used To Have
Chan would put debris or random things on the staircase behind the building when they were living together. The neighbors would then complain to the management office and yell at her. Later, the building security guards banned Chan from entering the building.So she decided to live on the streets and never told her daughter. She insisted on not telling her a thing about being homeless.
What about her future? She had an answer to the question. “I have no plans. I will be on the street until I die.”
Chan would not admit whether she had ever missed her child. But she did mention that once a woman married, she would become the other family’s daughter “If she can be bothered, she can visit me whenever she is free.”
She had given up her shelter and safety for her daughter’s new life and happiness because she thought she was an inconvenience.
‘The Streets Are More Free’
The volunteer Mann asked several homeless aid organizations to follow up on Granny’s situation and case, but they always somehow fell through, and he never heard from them again.He also requested the government departments for assistance, but Chan refused them all.
Mann hoped that by telling Chan’s story, someone could give her the real help she needs; at least offer her a warm, comfortable bed at a nursing home where she can enjoy the rest of her years.
Chan most likely still felt she would be a burden and hesitantly said she never promised to accept Mann’s help. “It is so much freer to sleep on the street. So much freer.”
Mann, once again, tried to persuade the stubborn old lady and told her it would be too dangerous to stay on the street.
At this point, she went silent with her head down.
Government Claims to Wellness Visits
When The Epoch Times reporter inquired about Chan’s case on the phone with Social Welfare Services, the department claimed that an outreach team had paid her many wellness visits to understand her social needs and offered her material resources.The agency also said they would continue their outreach visits, partner with the district family service center, and provide the most suitable social benefit assistance based on Chan’s needs and wishes.
We may never realize the strength of a homeless person, let alone to be a bone-thin, silver-haired 81-year-old lady, to sleep on the side of the road with her belongings in dozens of bags and boxes, no matter the weather.
A spokesperson of the Social Welfare Department said, “The Social Welfare Department subsidizes three comprehensive service teams operated by non-governmental organizations to conduct outreach visits around the clock, even late at night. They actively speak to the homeless people to discover why they ended up sleeping on the street.”
The spokesperson also added that if any homeless person agreed to accept their help, they would provide comprehensive services, including counseling, service referrals, short-term accommodation, and applications for financial assistance.
What Chan needs the most is kindheartedness and care. If everyone gives a little, she will be much happier.
