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Varsity’s Choice /43

Protesters-friendly Shop

Apart from selling daily goods, HKongs provides job opportunities
for protesters

By Reus Lok

With the ongoing anti-govern- employed due to political reasons,” support at first. But after building
ment protests, political stance of a says Sam, a volunteer from HKongs their reputation as a business that
shop or a restaurant becomes one of who declines to reveal her full name. helps arrested protesters, suppliers
the major considerations when con- “Hiring those who actively partici- who share their political view ac-
sumers shop. This gives birth to a pated in the movement is our top tively reach out to them and offer
new term - “yellow economic circle”. priority,” she adds. HKongs now em- them support.
It means that consumers in favour of ploys 26 protesters or Sau Zuk (手 HKongs is also cooperating with
pro-democracy yellow camp and the 足), a terminology used by protesters other shops in the yellow economic
anti-Extradition Law Amendment referring to each other. circle, trying to look for possible
Bill (anti-ELAB) movement only HKongs is very different from ways to share resources and logistics
spend money on shops and restau- other companies. Their team con- networks. “I’m confident about the
rants that share the same political sists of both volunteers and paid em- development of the yellow econo-
ideal. ployees. All volunteers are recruited my,” says Sam. She thinks the num-
HKongs (光時), an online gro- through LIHKG, an online forum, ber of “yellow stores” is increasing,
cery store, is a member of the yellow and they all have their own full-time and that helps further develop in-
economic circle. The online shop- job. Volunteers have no salary and ternal support and communication
ping platform was launched after need to balance between their full- within the yellow economic circle.
the anti-ELAB movement broke out, time job and work at HKongs. There If you want to know more about
aiming to provide job opportunities are around 15 volunteers working as HKongs and support them, you may
to protesters, especially those who company managers and trainers for make purchases on their website or
have been arrested or charged. the online store now. visit their Facebook page for more
“We want to provide a job or a Hkongs had a tough start when details.
stepping stone for those who have volunteers set up the company. Sup-
been arrested or have become un- pliers refused to provide warehouse Edited by Emilie Lui
Sub-edited by Wayne Chang

Source: HKongs