People

Miss Ho is making self-designed jewelry devotedly. Penny Ho

Disabled but successful

Making a living from a wheelchair

By Penny Ho

Walking along Grandville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui at night, it is hard not to notice Ho Kit Ching, who sits in her wheelchair, busily making necklaces.

This middle-aged woman sells different kinds of jewelry on the street, but without calling out a sales pitch.

“I seldom do this because when I go shopping, I don't like shopkeepers crying out and disturbing me. I think customers like to choose the goods freely,” said she.

Ms. Ho refused to go into the details about her disability. She just said that it happened when she was young. Nonetheless, she willingly shared with us the story of how she started her business two years ago.

Life has not always been easy for Ho. Before she became a hawker, she received assistance from the Comprehensive Social Security Scheme. However, she was no longer entitled to the government assistance after her son started to work. Since then, the Disablement Allowance of $1000 and her son's salary of only $5000 was all that they could get each month.

“This is not enough for making a living,” she said, “not even enough to pay the rent of my flat.”

Ms. Ho said the social service organizations did not help much. She visited the Social Service Department asking for help, but they just referred her to the Labor Department and told her to find a job like all the other people.

“Even the able-bodied are unemployed. I am disabled and old, and have not received any tertiary education. So how could I get a job?” she said.

Having no choice, she started to consider becoming a hawker. After discussing with other disabled hawkers, who sold lighters on the street, she made up her mind.

Her first idea was to sell scarves and facemasks. Nonetheless, her business was not satisfactory at all. Many of the goods just piled up at home. So after SARS, she tried something new.

She made jewelry for sale, drawing on skills in needlework that she learned in childhood. Soon, she was very adept at making such fine accessories.

“I know how to make and design them by reading books about handmade jewelry,” she said. She is now devoted to designing jewelry and making her goods perfect.

On one hand, her friends buy beads, buckles and threads for her in China . On the other hand, she shops in Sham Shui Po for the newest components to catch up with the new jewelry styles.

Apart from selling original jewelry, she also offers custom-made and repair services. Said she: “Most clients request custom-made jewelry because the jewelry sold in other shops does not fit them. Some clients buy custom-made jewelry for weddings too.”

Other clients come up to her for repairing their jewelry. “If the beads are tarnished, I will replace them with new ones and charge the material cost only,” said Ms. Ho, showing some of her repair orders.

Still, she has a hard time doing her business on this busy street. Due to the popularity of her necklaces and accessories, jealousy has been aroused from the jewelry shops nearby.

Besides, there are some unfriendly customers. They treat her rudely by throwing the jewelry back to her booth.

“I tell them I won't sell anything to them and wave them to go away,” she said, “because they don't respect my jewelry.”

As she does not have a license to hawk, sometimes she is driven away by the Hawker Control Task Force, but she is treated politely.

“They do not give me ticket. They just ask me to leave and tell me I need not to rush. I think this is because they consider my disability.”

She thinks positively about her job. “I like this job,” she said. “I don't like office work because of the time constraint. This job allows me to have very flexible working hours and I can get up late.”

Ms. Ho has developed a close relationships with some customers as well. “Even if they don't buy things, they would come to say hi when they drop by.”

She now works from 8 to 11 at night for 3 to 4 days each week. Depending on the number of working days, she can earn $3000 to $5000 a month . Though, she does not envy the rich.

“I often tell my son that wealth may not come with happiness. We should be grateful for what we have but not craving for what we don't have,” she said.

Although many people appreciate her work, she is not interested in opening a shop. “I just earn a little and have no money to do that. I can't afford the rent,” she said.

She is satisfied with her job, and is willing to sacrifice time and effort to help the others who are less fortunate than her.

“Because many scarves were unsold, I voluntarily visited Kowloon Hospital and gave those scarves to the paralyzed patients on Christmas Eve.

“They cannot move and have to stay in the hospital everyday. They look very unhappy. When I saw them, I knew I am already very lucky, because I can still go wherever I like,” said Ho. She now visits them regularly each year.

Ms. Ho lives with her 23-year-old son. Before going out to work, she does housework, including cooking, washing clothes and sweeping the floor, leaning upon her crutch. She also used to go to the market on her own regardless of the inconvenience.

“I've got used to it. I had to do housework since I was very small,” she explained, “I get older and weaker now. So I have to pass some of the housework to local domestic helpers. But I still cook for my son everyday.”

She spoke of her life open-mindedly.

“Maybe it's my destiny,” said Miss Ho, “I think God has already paved my way. All I can do is to accept my life and live happily. After facing all these adversities, I do not think much about them and just live for today.”

She definitely enjoys her life. She is very proud of what she is doing. “My jewelry may not get full marks, but for me, it is perfect enough,” she said, smiling.