Each day, members of Providence Garden for Rehab in Tuen Mun — many of whom live with physical or psychological disabilities — receive cleaned in-flight bedding from Vogue Laundry, a subsidiary of Cathay. Their tasks include checking, folding and packing the items for future passenger use.
Launched in 2022 by Vogue Laundry and Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council — Providence Garden’s operator — the project was created to address the surge in demand for cabin supplies that accompanied the recovery of the aviation industry, and offer a new pathway for rehabilitation.
Pearl Yuen, service director of the Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council, said around 80 to 100 of its members have voluntarily taken part in the project and its processing facility can now handle over 30,000 duvets, 30,000 towels and 10,000 napkins a month.
Yuen said they will arrange tailored training for members based on their characteristics and rehabilitation progress. For example, individuals with autism, who often possess strong observational skills, may be assigned to quality inspection roles, said Yuen.
The project also provides rehabilitants with vocational training opportunities. “We hope they can support themselves financially after returning to society,” Yuen said, adding that Vogue also opens a career path for participants — five former members have since been hired by Vogue Laundry.
The rebound in air travel in the post-COVID era has also brought new opportunities for a social enterprise located in Tung Chung.
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Sunny Social Enterprise operates a factory near the office of the Outlying Islands Women’s Association and has been undertaking the packing of in-flight cutlery for Cathay since 2009.
Thanks to the surge in demand, the factory has expanded its team to 70 employees, working two shifts and 365 days a year to pack airplane cutlery kits. Tasks include inspecting the cleanliness of metal tableware such as knives, forks and spoons, and placing them with tissues on the assembly line for packaging.
Because each shift lasts four hours, with one shift in the morning and one in the afternoon, the flexible working mode is appreciated by residents within the local community, particularly by housewives and retirees, said Brian Ng Siu-kuen, manager of the enterprise.
During regular periods, the factory can package around 60,000 sets per day. The workload will be increased to 70,000 to 80,000 sets per day during busy periods such as holidays, Ng said, an output that is sufficient to meet the needs for all economy-class passengers on Cathay flights.
In a media conference earlier this week, Andy Wong, Cathay’s general manager of corporate affairs, said the full-capacity operation of Hong Kong International Airport’s Three Runway System will further boost the local aviation industry’s recovery and growth.
Wong said Cathay has increased its support for such inclusive initiatives, including the procurement of additional equipment for Sunny Social Enterprise’s factory, in the hope that the collaboration will both enhance business performance while creating more jobs for the community.
