XN000022-1978-02-12 — Page 4

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1978

JOB FOR A DETERMINED WHEELCHAIR YOUTH

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NOTHING COULD STOP HONG KING-MAN, A 26-YEAR-OLD YOUNG MAN FROM SEEKING A JOB, NOT EVEN HIS DISABILITY WHICH CONFINES HIM TO A WHEELCHAIR.

AND IT DID NOT TAKE LONG TO HAVE HIS PLAN MATERIALISED WHEN HE PUT IT INTO ACTION BY WRITING TO THE JOB PLACEMENT UNIT OF SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT LAST NOVEMBER EXPRESSING HIS WISH TO WORK.

WITHIN A WEEK, HE RECEIVED A REPLY OVER THE TELEPHONE FROM THE JOB PLACEMENT OFFICER, WHO, IN LEARNING HIS DIFFICULTY IN WALKING, TRAVELLED FROM HIS OFFICE IN KWUN TONG TO KING-MAN'S FOURTH FLOOR HOME IN TAI WOR HAU ESTATE TO INTERVIEW HIM AND ASSIST HIM IN FILLING THE APPLICATION FORM.

THE INTERVIEW REVEALED THAT KING-MAN HAD A GENUINE DESIRE TO WORK DESPITE HIS DISABILITY BROUGHT ABOUT BY A SERIOUS ILLNESS AT THE AGE OF TWO AND RATED BY A SPECIALIST AS 70 PER CENT DUE TO HIS FEEBLE LEGS AND A PARTIALLY NUMB HAND.

HE HAD IN THE PAST OPERATED A SECOND-HAND BOOK STALL WEAR THE ESTATE BLOCK WHERE HE IS STILL LIVING WITH HIS PARENTS WHO BOTH WORK IN FACTORIES.

BUSINESS WAS QUITE BRISK, BUT IT WAS ILLEGAL BEACUSE HIS STALL CAUSED OBSTRUCTION, POLICE LATER ACTED ON COMPLAINTS TO ARREST HIM AND BRING NIM BEFORE COURT.

THIS PUT AN END TO HIS SMALL BUSINESS. IDLE AT HOME, HE WAS TOLD BY A DISABLED FRIEND THAT HE COULD SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM THE JOB PLACEMENT UNIT, AND THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.

+ I KNEW I DID THE RIGHT THING, BECAUSE THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IS ALWAYS READY TO ASSIST THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED OF HELP, + KING-MAN SAID.

+THROUGH THEIR ASSISTANCE I HAVE BEEN GIVEN A DISABILITY ALLOWANCE OF $200 A MONTH, HE ADDED.

HIS CALL FOR HELP IN LOOKING FOR A JOB WAS ANSWERED WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THE FIRST INTERVIEW.

IT WAS QUITE A TASK FOR THE OFFICER CONCERNED WHO FIRST VENT THROUGH THE NORMAL LIST OF EMPLOYERS WISHING TO TAKE DISABLED WORKERS.

BUT NONE OF THESE JOBS AVAILABLE WERE SUITABLE BECAUSE EITHER THE PLACE OF WORK WAS TOO FAR AWAY FROM KING-MAN'S HOME MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR HIN TO TRAVEL TO WORK, OR THE JOB DID NOT SUIT KIM WHO ONLY HAS ONE HAND FUNCTIONING NORMALLY.

THIS PROMPTED THE OFFICER TO LAUNCH A SPECIAL JOB HUNT FOR HIM BY KNOCKING THE DOORS OF MANUFACTURERS IN THE VICINITY OF HIS HOME.

/THE OFFICER