Getting into development work: My journey this far - 專題故事 - 樂施會
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發展項目, 樂施人樂施事, 亞洲其他地區2015年6月11日

Getting into development work: My journey this far

楊允祈 - 圖像

楊允祈

楊允祈於2015年2月加入樂施會國際項目部工作,主要負責與南南國家的夥伴機構的關係。她喜歡旅遊,閱讀和瑜珈。

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Children in an orphanage in Bloemfontein were singing to welcome us.

 

I first became interested in the issue of poverty during my first year of university. In a course about economic geography, my professor talked about the uneven distribution of resources and the issue of global inequality. His enthusiasm for the topic was contagious, so I started reading up on poverty and inequality. Since then, I have become greatly interested in the issue of poverty and international development. That said, I only decided to pursue a career in international development at the end of university.

What triggered this decision was my fieldtrip to Bloemfontain, South Africa, in 2013. During my stay in South Africa, I worked with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) called Kidz Care Trust that works with street children, most of whom are addicted to drugs. This experience was remarkable for me because along the main road entering the city, there were many casinos and hotels. I was surprised by how developed and modern the area was. However, later with Kidz Care Trust, I went back to the main road and discovered that there was a little open area next to the sewage tunnel. This open space was filled with more than 15 children and teenagers who were addicted to drugs.

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My friend and I took a video of the boys dancing in the orphanage. They were excited to see themselves in a video for the first time in their lives.

Most of them ran away from home because they suffered from violence, while others were kidnapped and ended up living on the streets. The contrast was astounding – the children, both boys and girls, lived not more than 20 meters from a luxurious casino but here were these children who worked as sex workers in order to make ends meet. Their clients were mainly tourists and business people from the casino and hotels nearby. They earned approximately HK$4 per client, but even the cheapest item on the McDonald’s menu there costs HK$70.

This experience opened my eyes to the poverty, injustices and inequalities that people around the world suffer, and left me feeling frustrated. This was the main reason why I chose to use my skills and knowledge to contribute to a fairer and more just world by combating poverty and inequality.

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I had dinner with my Nepalese friend Bandada. Her place is not spacious so she usually puts the dishes on the floor when she eats. However, since I was there, she borrowed a coffee table from a neighbour so we could have a more special meal.

Although it was in South Africa that I saw poverty for the first time, it was only during my fieldtrip to Nepal in 2014 that I really better understood what poverty means and its impact. I stayed with my classmates and professors in both the rural area, Dhading, and the capital, Kathmandu. After the fieldtrip had ended, I chose to stay behind in Kathmandu with the three Nepalese friends I met during my fieldtrip.

My time with the local Nepalese was a real eye-opener for me. When I went to South Africa and Nepal, everything was arranged by the university so I did not need to worry about accommodation, food, and not to mention water and electricity. However, living with the locals proved to be another story.

Since I was in Nepal in the late winter, there was limited hydroelectric power and so electricity was scarce. Most of the hotels were equipped with a backup supply of electricity during the hours when electricity was out, but when the power went out in local homes, all anyone could do was sit and wait until there was electricity again.

There were no lights, much less Internet. Everything was dark. I was told that during the winter, there was electricity only a few hours in the morning and evening. Not only was the supply of electricity an issue, water was too. Water was only available every three to four days for a few hours. Even though I sweated every day and was covered with dust because of the traffic and air pollution, I could only take a shower every two to three days.

Water scarcity was a big issue in Nepal. Every day, the locals, especially women needed to go to the well to look for additional water for their daily consumption.

Water scarcity was a big issue in Nepal. Every day, the locals, especially women needed to go to the well to look for additional water for their daily consumption.

Before going to Nepal, I would complain if the shower was not hot enough, but after my trip to Nepal, I realised that every drop of water is valuable. When I was with my Nepalese friends, I did not dare to even ask for cold water to wash myself because I understood how valuable water was and that it should be used for cooking and drinking.

My firsthand experience of living in poverty has profoundly changed how I see it. People who I talked to in Nepal did not want only money but job opportunities, ways to learn, effective governance and less corruption. They wanted to be empowered to help themselves, instead of just sitting around, waiting for help. Their determination and hopes have urged me to work for organisations like Oxfam, which provide support through self-help programmes and empowerment. I hope my past experiences and skills will enable me to contribute to a fairer world.

3Meanna Yeung joined Oxfam Hong Kong in Feb 2015. Her works in the International Programme Unit focuses on the South-South Partnership. She likes travelling, reading, and hiking.