Po Leung Kuk
Template:Short description Template:Use Hong Kong English Template:Use dmy dates
Template:Stack begin Template:Infobox organisation Template:Infobox Chinese Template:Stack end
The Po Leung Kuk, founded as the Society for the Protection of Women and Children,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is a charitable organisation in Hong Kong that provides support for orphaned children, education and other services.
History
In the late 19th century, abduction and trafficking of women and children were widespread in Hong Kong, under the mui tsai system. On 8 November 1878, a group of local Chinese (Lo Lai-ping, Shi Shang-kai, Fung Ming-shan and Tse Tat-shing)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Incomplete citation presented a petition to the governor of Hong Kong, John Pope Hennessy, to set up the Po Leung Kuk to rescue the kidnapped victims, and the society was officially opened in August 1882.<ref name="Carroll">Template:Cite book</ref>
The stated objective of the Kuk, as it is informally known, is to care for the young and protect the innocent. In the early days, it was primarily engaged in suppressing abduction of women and children and providing shelters and education for such victims. There were some difficulties with the colonial government, as a result of cultural differences, but the overall intention of improving the lot of unfortunates was earnestly pursued. However, it has been suggested<ref name=Carroll/> that the arrangements the Kuk provided had the convenient effect of maintaining a supply of servants and potential concubines for the wealthy Chinese families of Hong Kong, in a "peculiarly Chinese form of patriarchy".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Today the Po Leung Kuk has over 300 units providing a wide spectrum of services, including social services (including medical services), educational services, recycling centers, recreational services and cultural services.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Services
The Kuk currently runs more than 300 units throughout Hong Kong, providing welfare, educational, cultural and recreational services.Template:Citation needed
Schools operated by the Po Leung Kuk include:
- Po Leung Kuk Camões Tan Siu Lin Primary School
- Po Leung Kuk Celine Ho Yam Tong College
- Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School
- Po Leung Kuk Lo Kit Sing (1983) College
- Po Leung Kuk Mrs. Ma Kam Ming-Cheung Fook Sien College
- Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College
- Po Leung Kuk No.1 W. H. Cheung College
- Po Leung Kuk Stanley Ho Sau Nan Primary School
- Po Leung Kuk Tang Yuk Tien College
- Po Leung Kuk Tsing Yi Secondary School (Skill Opportunity)
- Po Leung Kuk Vicwood K. T. Chong Sixth Form College
See also
- Primary Mathematics World Contest
- Po Leung Kuk Museum
- Kuala Lumpur Po Leung Kuk
- Penang Po Leung Kuk
- Singapore Po Leung Kuk