Second overseas domestic helpers service centre opens
The second full-time service centre for overseas domestic helpers (ODH) is opened in Mong Kok today (Sunday) to provide a wide range of social and recreational facilities.
With a maximum capacity for 1,500 users, the centre will open from 10 am to 6 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. Facilities to be provided in phases include classrooms, remittance service, computer room, cinema, beauty salon and cafe.
It will also organise vocational training courses, seminars, beauty contests and cultural programmes for the 15,900 ODHs working in Hong Kong.
Located at 78 Hak Po Street, Mong Kok, the premises was leased by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals for a token $1 per annum to the Bayanihan Trust, which would be responsible for the centre's management. The site was formerly the Yiu Dak Chi Memorial School.
The Trust is a non-profit making organisation founded in 1993 by a group of Filipino businessmen in Hong Kong with the objective of providing sheltered facilities for organising social, cultural and vocational activities for ODHs.
The Government started a scheme in September 1994 to set up centres for ODHS to relieve the impact of their gatherings on rest days in some more popular locations such as the Central district.
The Home Affairs Department is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the entire scheme. A Steering Committee comprising District Board members and representatives from the Urban Services Department, the Police and the Transport Department has closely monitored the operation of these centres.
At present, five Sunday-only activity centres have been set up at Kowloon Technical School in Sham Shui Po, Clementi Secondary School in North Point, Ho Tung Technical School for Girls in Causeway Bay, Jockey Club Government Secondary Technical School in Kowloon Tong and Po Leung Kuk Yu Lee Mo Fan Memorial School in North Point.
A full-time service centre has also been operating in Kennedy Town. All centres are managed by the Bayanihan Trust.
Officiating guest of the Mong Kok Service Centre's opening is the Honourable senator Sergio Osmena Jr from the Philippines.
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