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On December 16 2014， gold medal winner of the mild mental retardation student group of the 6th Hong Chi Cooking Competition—My Kitchen， Li Xiaobao is attentively making Bean Curd Pancake which has an amazing combination of color， aroma and taste.
2014年12月16日 匡智会第六届「我的厨房」烹饪比赛轻度智障个人组美食金奖得主李小宝同学聚精会神炮制色香味俱全的「豆腐煎饼」。
Taiyuan Street， Hong Kong.
Behind the toy stands along the street lies a bright and spacious restaurant—HC Café. The sun illuminates the spotless dining tables and grounds through glass wall with summer warm.
It is a midday when the restaurant is full of guests with long lines forming before the cashier desk. Waiters in green uniform carry plates and serve the guests with elaborate food courteously. They do it as good as ordinary waiters and even with more politeness and tenderness.
In fact， they are people with intellectual disabilities who will pay much more efforts to do so.
香港太原街闹市。
沿街卖着各式玩具的摊位后面，坐落着一家明亮宽敞的餐厅HC Café。阳光斜射入玻璃墙，带着一丝夏日的温度，照亮纤尘不染的餐桌和地面。
恰逢中午，店内已满座，收银台前亦排起了长队。身着绿色制服的服务员，手托餐盘穿过人群，彬彬有礼地将精心烹调的菜肴送至客人面前，一切与普通服务员无异，甚至更加礼貌温柔。
然而他们都是智力障碍患者，要想达到如此的服务素质，付出的努力须比常人多许多。
According to the estimation of Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong estimated in 2013， there are approximately 71 to 101 thousand people with intellectual disabilities， taking up 1% to 1.4% of the total population. Apart from that， there are 578.6 thousand disabled people， about 8.1% of the total population， including 320 thousand with impaired physical performance， 175 thousand with visual impairment， 155 thousand with hearing impairment， 49 thousand with verbal ability impairment， 147 thousand of psychosis， 10 thousand of autism， 18 thousand with special learning difficulty and 13 thousand of ADHD. Among them， 558 thousand people are above 15 years old of which 341 thousand have retired and 81 thousand （including employed and unemployed） undertake economic business， far below the overall level which is over 60 % in Hong Kong. In 2013， the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions found that success rate of employment of the disabled didn’t reach 50%， and the disabled employees could only earn several thousand HKD， less than the average income level of ten thousand HKD in Hong Kong middle-class families.
The Sun has reported that it is difficult for people with disabilities to get a job offer even an interview from a private organization despite the fact that they have a bachelor’s or master’s degree， and most of the employed ones do low-tech jobs. For example， Zhao Haolin who graduated from department of design was only engaged in part-time jobs such as opening envelopes because he suffered thalassemia. Another disabled person with a diploma in Business Administration of The Chinese University of Hong Kong had sent over two hundred letters of job application and received no reply. However when there was no indication of disability in the letters， dozens of interview were provided. “Isn’t it discrimination？” Wang Wennie， Presiding Chairman of League of Mental Rehabilitation， who concealed from mental disease， said that he hided his illness in order to find a job. After 3 years he made a confession to his boss due to pressure， and was fired then with the reason of incompetence. Deng Jiabiao， Congressman of Hong Kong Legislative Council suggested the government to establish a “Job Quota System for the Disabled” to ensure them a job opportunity as the society had a prejudice against them. 香港政府统计处2013年统计估计，全港约有71，000至101，000名智障人士，占总人口1%至1.4%。除去智障人士，另有578，600名残疾人士，占总人口8.1%，其中包括约32万名身体活动能力受限人士，17.5万名视觉障碍患者，15.5万名听觉障碍患者，4.9万名言语能力困难人士，14.7万名精神病/情绪病患者，自闭症1万人，特殊学习困难1.8万人及1.3万名注意力不足/过度活跃症患者。15岁及以上的残疾人士有55.8万人，其中34.1万人为退休人士，其余约有8.1万人（包括就业和待业人士）从事经济活动，远低于全港整体从事经济活动人口超过60%的比例。2013年，香港工会联合会调查发现，残疾人士就业成功率不足50%，成功就业者月薪仅数千元，低于全港中等家庭的万元平均收入水平。
《太阳报》报道，即使残疾人士获得本科或硕士学位，仍难获得私人机构聘请，甚至连面试机会都没有，成功就业的也多是低技术工种。例如，设计系毕业的赵浩霖，由于患有地中海贫血症，最终只能从事“拆信封”等兼职工作。另一名拥有香港中文大学工商管理学位的残疾人士，曾发出两百多封求职信都无回音。而不标明患有残疾时，立刻便接到几十个面试邀请，“你说不是歧视是什么！”曾患精神病的精神康复者联盟执委会主席王文臬说，自己找工作时为增加成功机率选择隐瞒病情，工作3年后因承受不住欺瞒压力向上司坦白，但不久之后便遭上司以工作不力为由解雇。香港立法会议员邓家彪认为，社会对残疾人士存在偏见，建议政府设置“残疾人士就业配额制”，以保障残疾人士就业机会。
Hong Kong government and many commonweal organizations have made lots of efforts to promote social understanding of people with physical and mental disabilities and to create more jobs. In 2001， Hong Kong Social Welfare Department carried out the Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities through Small Enterprise Project （3E's Project）. The Department committed 80 million HKD since then and funded non-government organizations in order to develop 95 small enterprise projects of different types， creating 710 special positions for the disabled people. It also implemented two programmes— “Sunnyway - On the Job Training Programme for Young People with Disabilities” and “On the Job Training Programme for People with Disabilities”， training and supporting those applying for jobs in open market and subsidizing the employers as an encouragement. In 2006， the Home Affairs Department carried out Enhancing Self-Reliance Through District Partnership Programme， aiming to finance qualified non-profit organizations for their establishment of social enterprises and provide opportunities for the disadvantaged groups to find jobs and to integrate into communities. Labour Department set up the Selective Placement Division for people with disabilities and employer， building a platform of skills demonstration and self-promotion for disabled employees and assisting them to get a suitable job.
The Hong Kong commonweal organizations have a tradition of establishing social enterprises， and helping people with physical and mental disabilities improve job skills and finally achieve self-dependence. The Hong Kong Society for the Deaf always invites social workers to teach their members to write an applicant letter， to deal with an interview and to get along with normal colleagues and boss. Then the Society organizes its members to come to learn catering service， or have a training and internship in other commercial institutes of different types such as culture， IT， package， cosmetology， car washing etc. and non-government social service organizations. The Hong Kong Society for the Blind will provide internship organizations suitable for its members with visual impairment after their training on information technology application， language ability， business writing， interpersonal communication， such as the Society’s Empower Shop （for production of paper， textiles， and artifacts） and Factory for the Blind （for telemarketing and customer service）. In 2003， Hong Kong Physically Handicapped and Able-Bodied （PHAB） Association launched PHABulous Marketing Limited and paid people with disabilities to serve clients in terms of pest control， cleaning， market development， paper file electrification etc depending on social needs. In 2011， the Association carried out “Starting from home： family volunteer programme”， training over 100 members and their families as community volunteers to visit the elder and the disabled family. The Association believes that people with similar experience can listen to each other so as to achieve mutual stimulation， improve self-confidence and promote harmony. Chen Jianxi， who is disabled because of muscle disease at the age of 25， participated in this programme. His mother said that， “He becomes optimistic and talkative than before.” Although some are still confronted with many problems such as minimum salary standard not being guaranteed， long operating at a loss， not running due to small scale， many social enterprises are getting better and several has turn from deficits to profit and won a fame in communities.
为了促进社会对残智障人士的了解，增加就业，香港政府和公益组织作出了很多努力。2001年，香港社会福利署推出的“创业展才能”计划，至今已拨款8，000多万港币，资助非政府组织开展95个不同类型的小型企业项目，为残疾人士创造逾710个专门职位。福利署还实施“‘阳光路上’培训计划”和“残疾人士在职培训计划”，对在公开市场就业的残疾人士进行培训和支持，并补助雇主以鼓励其聘用残疾人士。2006年，香港民政事务总署实施“伙伴倡自强”社区协作计划，向合资格的非牟利机构提供基金成立社会企业，为所有弱势群体提供就业和融入社区机会。香港劳工处亦设有面向残疾人士和雇主的展能就业科，给予残疾雇员展现才能、推销自我的平台，助其找到合适的工作。
香港公益组织素有开办社会企业，帮助残智障人士提高工作能力，助其自力更生的传统。香港聋人福利促进会常年聘请社工教导学员如何撰写求职信、如何自如应对面试及如何与听力健全的同事、上司相处，之后安排学员到促进会开设的“聪鸣茶座”接受餐饮服务训练，或是到文化、IT、包装、美容、洗车等其他行业的商业机构及非政府社会服务机构培训见习；香港盲人辅导会在对学员进行资讯科技应用、语言能力、商业写作、人际交流培训后，会为学员分配适宜视障人士工作的实习场所，包括辅导会开办的零售超市自强商店，提供纸制品、纺织品、手工制品生产和电话推销、顾客服务的盲人工厂等；香港伤健协会2003年成立非凡市场拓展有限公司，针对社会需要，由残疾人雇员为顾客进行害虫防治、清洁除尘、市场拓展、纸质文件电子化等服务。2011年，伤健协会还开展“从家出发：家庭义工计划”，培训了一百多名伤健人士及其家人成为社区义工，探访长者、残障人士家庭。伤健协会相信，经历相似的人更能理解倾听，互相激励，提高自信，促进和睦。当时二十五岁，因肌肉疾病而行动不便的陈建希成为义工后，其母亲也说：“以前（建希）成日不出声，做义工后变开朗了，讲话多了。”
尽管现今社会企业面临无法保障残疾人士最低薪水标准、长期亏损无盈利、规模太小不能持续等问题，但在政府、基金会、商业企业的政策支持和资金援助下，许多社企情况趋于好转，有些甚至战胜了最初的困难时期，扭亏为盈，于社区间获得了一定名声。
HC Café is such a social enterprise which obtained fund from the 3E's Project Hong Kong Social Welfare Department in 2011. It was set up by Hong Chi Association and scores 3.6 points （maximum is 5） on Open Rice—a Hong Kong restaurant review website， gaining plenty of favorable reviews in terms of its tastes and service.
Hong Chi Association， formerly known as Hong Kong Association for the Mentally Handicapped， has a history of 50 years since its set-up in 1965. Hong， means to support， and Chi means intelligence. The Association devotes itself to offer professional treatment， skill training， enterprise internships and open employment services to people with mental retardation， assisting in tapping their own potential so as to progressing and depending on themselves.
Huang Meimei said that， 50 years ago as there was no special school established for children with mental retardation who were refused by normal schools， people with intellectual disabilities lost the equal right for education. To solve this problem， a group of parents of children with intellectual disabilities cofounded Hong Kong Association for the Education of Feeble Children in February， 1965， and set up a special school in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon respectively in 1966. With the social development， Hong Chi schools have moved to Songling village of New Territories in Hong Kong， providing education and skill trainings for over 600 people in different age and levels with intellectual disabilities. HC Café便是2011年获社会福利署“创业展才能”计划资助、香港匡智会成立的社会企业，在香港餐饮点评网站Open Rice上网友评分3.6分（5分满分），口味和服务都赢得不少好评。
匡智会，前身为香港弱智人士服务协进会，成立于1965年，至今已有50年历史。匡智会传讯及经费筹募部负责人黄美美介绍，“匡”意指匡扶，“智”为智力，匡智会致力于为智力障碍人士提供专业治疗、技能培训、社企实习和公开就业服务，帮助他们挖掘自身潜力，促进其发展与自立。
黄美美说，五十年前，香港没有专为弱智儿童设立的学校，正常小学又几乎都不接收弱智儿童就读，香港的智障人士因此失去了平等受教育的机会。为解决这一问题，1965年2月，一群智障儿童的家长联合成立“香港低能儿童教育协进会”，并在1964年和1966年分别于隔海相望的港岛和九龙各建立一所特殊学校。随着社会发展，匡智会学校迁至香港新界的松岭村，如今为约600名不同年龄、不同程度的智障人士提供教育和技能训练。
After learning at special schools， some students， based on their skills， will have an internship or find a job in enterprises established by Hong Chi Association， such as HC Café， Hong Chi Farmstead， Hong Chi Gourmet Central Kitchen， Hong Chi Gourmet Bakery， Hong Chi Homestead， The Jockey Club Hong Chi Lodge.
According to Huang Meimei， most of them appreciated the job opportunities and worked with more carefulness and high sense of responsibility. In 2009， many enterprises of Hong Chi Association co-hosted a wedding for Mr. and Mrs. Long. In their letter demonstrated by Huang Meimei， they referred a visit to Hong Chi Kwong Fuk Wai Yin Workshop making little flower cups for their wedding. The members there were clapping to welcome them， glad to see brother bridegroom and sister bride. “Can you imagine your wedding supplier clapped when they see you come to their shop？” it wrote in the letter. The couple also recalled that a member said proudly he was happy to tell his brother to work overtime together with him because of the wedding. They sighed that “we didn’t recall friends/ colleague or ourselves ever appreciated what we already have”. In the end of the letter， the Longs wrote that： “Maybe you need to allow a little more time than commercial vendors， but in return you will get the experiences to work with the amazing staff and workshop members and it will be all worth it.”
Mrs. Mai， who has hired a dozen of employees with disabilities， said they were more careful， steady and rarely job-hopping， which was good for firm’s growth.
Huang Meimei added that although it empathized with those of mental disabilities， the society had a poor understanding of them except their intellectual disabilities. Hong Chi Association have trained more than 80 members with intellectual disabilities for over a year to rehearse an opera based on stories of the Three Kingdoms such as To Borrow Arrows with Thatched Boats， Borrowing East Wind， Fire Assault on Multiple Camps etc. The opera mixed various kinds of art elements， such as sign language， Kung Fu， singing and dancing. Considering actors’ poor memory， all dialogues were prerecorded while some songs were performed by gifted members on live. Media reported that the director， playwrighter and people in charge of the opera as well as the parents express their expectation about it. The mother of a singer Wilson of the show said that： “It is unexpected he is able to do this！” 部分智障学员经过特殊学校的培训后，会按所掌握技能进入匡智会创办的HC Café、匡智环保农庄、匡智佳味中央厨房、匡智佳味糕饼、匡智园、赛马会匡智居等十余家社会企业实习就业。
黄美美说，智障人士大多非常珍惜工作机会，态度认真负责且细致。2009年，匡智会多家社企联合承办了一对龙氏夫妇的婚礼。黄美美向笔者展示了龙氏夫妇亲撰信函。上面提到，他们探访为婚礼制作小花杯的匡智广福慧妍雅集工场时，学员们拍手欢迎，很高兴能见到“新郎哥哥和新娘姐姐”。“试想想，一般筹办婚礼的公司会为到访的客人拍手祝贺吗？”信函写道。龙氏夫妇还忆起听到一位学员自豪说“因为这个婚礼要赶工，我很开心告诉阿哥我跟他一样要加班！”，并感慨“身边的朋友、同事，甚至连自己都从不会欣赏我们所拥有的一切。”信末，龙氏夫妇写道：“与其他承办商相比，或许你要预留多一点准备时间，但匡智会一群出色的学员和尽心的员工将会为你带来意想不到的体验，你会认同就算多费点时间和心思都是值得的。
聘用了十余名残疾人士的雇主麦女士亦说，残疾人士工作仔细，不易跳槽，稳定性强，对公司业务发展有好处。
黄美美说，社会对智障人士大多抱有同情态度，但对其除智力不出众之外的了解，却远远不够。匡智会曾组织80多名智障学员花费一年多时间排练，演出糅合了手语、功夫、歌舞等多种元素，基于“草船借箭”、“借东风”、“火烧连营”等三国典故改编的音乐剧“细味人生”。由于演员记性不佳，所有对白都是预录的，但部分歌曲却是卓有天赋的学员现场献唱。媒体报道，该剧编剧、导演、负责人和家长都感叹演员进步超出预期，献唱者Wilson的母亲更坦言“没想过孩子可以做到这件事！”
Members in Hong Chi also made achievements in many competitions. In 2005， Xianv （nickname）， as a representative of Hong Kong， participated in speed skating of Special Olympics in Nagano， Japan and won two silver medals in 222 meters and 333 meters speed skating items. In 2013， members from Kong Chi won 4 gold medals， 2 silver medals and 5 bronze medals in Special Olympics 2013 Asia Pacific Games held in Newcastle， Australia. In the same year， Tsang Kung Yuen obtained 2 gold medals and 1 silver medal in Asian Youth Para Games 2013. In 2014， Wong Pak To won the Second Class Honour and The Best Series Design Award in the 7th United Nations [WAAD] Greater China Region Anniversary Stamp and Envelope Design Competition， and Tsang Kin Lok obtained the Ancient Poetry Recitation Competition Champion （Junior Secondary School， Hong Kong）.
On October， 10th， 2015， Hong Chi will host 12th “Climbathon” HONG CHI Charity Stair Run， in order to raise funds， and build platform for its members to demonstrate their talents.
According to Huang Meimei， the social activities， competitions， and internships will develop the advantages of the members， assist their integration into society and open a window for the society to know more about them. Perhaps people with intellectual disabilities are disadvantaged in terms of learning and communication， but they are exceptional in many other aspects and even accomplish more due to their concentration.
Christy Cheung， who comes to HC Café for first time via a friend’s introduction， comments that： “They are ordinary people just like us. The environmental here is clean， the service is good， and the food is of Chinese and Western combined with a taste of home cooking.”
智障学员还在多项比赛中取得佳绩。2005年，霞女（昵称）代表香港去日本长野参加世界冬季特殊奥林匹克运动会速度滑冰比赛，勇夺速度滑冰222米和333米两个项目的亚军；2013年，匡智会学员在澳洲纽卡斯尔市举办的特殊奥林匹克亚太区运动会上，获得4金、2银、5铜，曾恭源同年夺得马来西亚吉隆坡亚洲青少年残疾人运动会2金1银的好成绩；2014年，黄柏淘荣获第七届联合国“世界关顾自闭日”大中华地区心思心意邮票及纪念封图案设计比赛二等奖及系列主题图案设计奖；曾建乐获全港中小学校古诗词曲背诵比赛香港区初中组冠军……
2015年10月10日，匡智会将举办第十二届“匡智竞步上云霄”慈善跑楼梯大赛，为智障学员募集经费，并给予学员才艺表演的平台，向公众展示他们的多面才能。
黄美美说，这些社会活动、比赛和企业实习都有利于学员们发挥所长，融入社会，亦为社会了解智障人士打开了窗口。智障人士或许学习、沟通能力不够出色，但在其他很多方面却非常有天赋，甚至因为足够专一，能达成的成就比一般人更大。
经朋友介绍，首次来到HC Café就餐的顾客Christy Cheung便感言：“进店后发现其实都是普通人。环境干净整洁，服务态度也好，菜单中西结合，有家常菜的味道。”
2014年12月16日 匡智会第六届「我的厨房」烹饪比赛轻度智障个人组美食金奖得主李小宝同学聚精会神炮制色香味俱全的「豆腐煎饼」。
Taiyuan Street， Hong Kong.
Behind the toy stands along the street lies a bright and spacious restaurant—HC Café. The sun illuminates the spotless dining tables and grounds through glass wall with summer warm.
It is a midday when the restaurant is full of guests with long lines forming before the cashier desk. Waiters in green uniform carry plates and serve the guests with elaborate food courteously. They do it as good as ordinary waiters and even with more politeness and tenderness.
In fact， they are people with intellectual disabilities who will pay much more efforts to do so.
香港太原街闹市。
沿街卖着各式玩具的摊位后面，坐落着一家明亮宽敞的餐厅HC Café。阳光斜射入玻璃墙，带着一丝夏日的温度，照亮纤尘不染的餐桌和地面。
恰逢中午，店内已满座，收银台前亦排起了长队。身着绿色制服的服务员，手托餐盘穿过人群，彬彬有礼地将精心烹调的菜肴送至客人面前，一切与普通服务员无异，甚至更加礼貌温柔。
然而他们都是智力障碍患者，要想达到如此的服务素质，付出的努力须比常人多许多。
According to the estimation of Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong estimated in 2013， there are approximately 71 to 101 thousand people with intellectual disabilities， taking up 1% to 1.4% of the total population. Apart from that， there are 578.6 thousand disabled people， about 8.1% of the total population， including 320 thousand with impaired physical performance， 175 thousand with visual impairment， 155 thousand with hearing impairment， 49 thousand with verbal ability impairment， 147 thousand of psychosis， 10 thousand of autism， 18 thousand with special learning difficulty and 13 thousand of ADHD. Among them， 558 thousand people are above 15 years old of which 341 thousand have retired and 81 thousand （including employed and unemployed） undertake economic business， far below the overall level which is over 60 % in Hong Kong. In 2013， the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions found that success rate of employment of the disabled didn’t reach 50%， and the disabled employees could only earn several thousand HKD， less than the average income level of ten thousand HKD in Hong Kong middle-class families.
The Sun has reported that it is difficult for people with disabilities to get a job offer even an interview from a private organization despite the fact that they have a bachelor’s or master’s degree， and most of the employed ones do low-tech jobs. For example， Zhao Haolin who graduated from department of design was only engaged in part-time jobs such as opening envelopes because he suffered thalassemia. Another disabled person with a diploma in Business Administration of The Chinese University of Hong Kong had sent over two hundred letters of job application and received no reply. However when there was no indication of disability in the letters， dozens of interview were provided. “Isn’t it discrimination？” Wang Wennie， Presiding Chairman of League of Mental Rehabilitation， who concealed from mental disease， said that he hided his illness in order to find a job. After 3 years he made a confession to his boss due to pressure， and was fired then with the reason of incompetence. Deng Jiabiao， Congressman of Hong Kong Legislative Council suggested the government to establish a “Job Quota System for the Disabled” to ensure them a job opportunity as the society had a prejudice against them. 香港政府统计处2013年统计估计，全港约有71，000至101，000名智障人士，占总人口1%至1.4%。除去智障人士，另有578，600名残疾人士，占总人口8.1%，其中包括约32万名身体活动能力受限人士，17.5万名视觉障碍患者，15.5万名听觉障碍患者，4.9万名言语能力困难人士，14.7万名精神病/情绪病患者，自闭症1万人，特殊学习困难1.8万人及1.3万名注意力不足/过度活跃症患者。15岁及以上的残疾人士有55.8万人，其中34.1万人为退休人士，其余约有8.1万人（包括就业和待业人士）从事经济活动，远低于全港整体从事经济活动人口超过60%的比例。2013年，香港工会联合会调查发现，残疾人士就业成功率不足50%，成功就业者月薪仅数千元，低于全港中等家庭的万元平均收入水平。
《太阳报》报道，即使残疾人士获得本科或硕士学位，仍难获得私人机构聘请，甚至连面试机会都没有，成功就业的也多是低技术工种。例如，设计系毕业的赵浩霖，由于患有地中海贫血症，最终只能从事“拆信封”等兼职工作。另一名拥有香港中文大学工商管理学位的残疾人士，曾发出两百多封求职信都无回音。而不标明患有残疾时，立刻便接到几十个面试邀请，“你说不是歧视是什么！”曾患精神病的精神康复者联盟执委会主席王文臬说，自己找工作时为增加成功机率选择隐瞒病情，工作3年后因承受不住欺瞒压力向上司坦白，但不久之后便遭上司以工作不力为由解雇。香港立法会议员邓家彪认为，社会对残疾人士存在偏见，建议政府设置“残疾人士就业配额制”，以保障残疾人士就业机会。
Hong Kong government and many commonweal organizations have made lots of efforts to promote social understanding of people with physical and mental disabilities and to create more jobs. In 2001， Hong Kong Social Welfare Department carried out the Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities through Small Enterprise Project （3E's Project）. The Department committed 80 million HKD since then and funded non-government organizations in order to develop 95 small enterprise projects of different types， creating 710 special positions for the disabled people. It also implemented two programmes— “Sunnyway - On the Job Training Programme for Young People with Disabilities” and “On the Job Training Programme for People with Disabilities”， training and supporting those applying for jobs in open market and subsidizing the employers as an encouragement. In 2006， the Home Affairs Department carried out Enhancing Self-Reliance Through District Partnership Programme， aiming to finance qualified non-profit organizations for their establishment of social enterprises and provide opportunities for the disadvantaged groups to find jobs and to integrate into communities. Labour Department set up the Selective Placement Division for people with disabilities and employer， building a platform of skills demonstration and self-promotion for disabled employees and assisting them to get a suitable job.
The Hong Kong commonweal organizations have a tradition of establishing social enterprises， and helping people with physical and mental disabilities improve job skills and finally achieve self-dependence. The Hong Kong Society for the Deaf always invites social workers to teach their members to write an applicant letter， to deal with an interview and to get along with normal colleagues and boss. Then the Society organizes its members to come to learn catering service， or have a training and internship in other commercial institutes of different types such as culture， IT， package， cosmetology， car washing etc. and non-government social service organizations. The Hong Kong Society for the Blind will provide internship organizations suitable for its members with visual impairment after their training on information technology application， language ability， business writing， interpersonal communication， such as the Society’s Empower Shop （for production of paper， textiles， and artifacts） and Factory for the Blind （for telemarketing and customer service）. In 2003， Hong Kong Physically Handicapped and Able-Bodied （PHAB） Association launched PHABulous Marketing Limited and paid people with disabilities to serve clients in terms of pest control， cleaning， market development， paper file electrification etc depending on social needs. In 2011， the Association carried out “Starting from home： family volunteer programme”， training over 100 members and their families as community volunteers to visit the elder and the disabled family. The Association believes that people with similar experience can listen to each other so as to achieve mutual stimulation， improve self-confidence and promote harmony. Chen Jianxi， who is disabled because of muscle disease at the age of 25， participated in this programme. His mother said that， “He becomes optimistic and talkative than before.” Although some are still confronted with many problems such as minimum salary standard not being guaranteed， long operating at a loss， not running due to small scale， many social enterprises are getting better and several has turn from deficits to profit and won a fame in communities.
为了促进社会对残智障人士的了解，增加就业，香港政府和公益组织作出了很多努力。2001年，香港社会福利署推出的“创业展才能”计划，至今已拨款8，000多万港币，资助非政府组织开展95个不同类型的小型企业项目，为残疾人士创造逾710个专门职位。福利署还实施“‘阳光路上’培训计划”和“残疾人士在职培训计划”，对在公开市场就业的残疾人士进行培训和支持，并补助雇主以鼓励其聘用残疾人士。2006年，香港民政事务总署实施“伙伴倡自强”社区协作计划，向合资格的非牟利机构提供基金成立社会企业，为所有弱势群体提供就业和融入社区机会。香港劳工处亦设有面向残疾人士和雇主的展能就业科，给予残疾雇员展现才能、推销自我的平台，助其找到合适的工作。
香港公益组织素有开办社会企业，帮助残智障人士提高工作能力，助其自力更生的传统。香港聋人福利促进会常年聘请社工教导学员如何撰写求职信、如何自如应对面试及如何与听力健全的同事、上司相处，之后安排学员到促进会开设的“聪鸣茶座”接受餐饮服务训练，或是到文化、IT、包装、美容、洗车等其他行业的商业机构及非政府社会服务机构培训见习；香港盲人辅导会在对学员进行资讯科技应用、语言能力、商业写作、人际交流培训后，会为学员分配适宜视障人士工作的实习场所，包括辅导会开办的零售超市自强商店，提供纸制品、纺织品、手工制品生产和电话推销、顾客服务的盲人工厂等；香港伤健协会2003年成立非凡市场拓展有限公司，针对社会需要，由残疾人雇员为顾客进行害虫防治、清洁除尘、市场拓展、纸质文件电子化等服务。2011年，伤健协会还开展“从家出发：家庭义工计划”，培训了一百多名伤健人士及其家人成为社区义工，探访长者、残障人士家庭。伤健协会相信，经历相似的人更能理解倾听，互相激励，提高自信，促进和睦。当时二十五岁，因肌肉疾病而行动不便的陈建希成为义工后，其母亲也说：“以前（建希）成日不出声，做义工后变开朗了，讲话多了。”
尽管现今社会企业面临无法保障残疾人士最低薪水标准、长期亏损无盈利、规模太小不能持续等问题，但在政府、基金会、商业企业的政策支持和资金援助下，许多社企情况趋于好转，有些甚至战胜了最初的困难时期，扭亏为盈，于社区间获得了一定名声。
HC Café is such a social enterprise which obtained fund from the 3E's Project Hong Kong Social Welfare Department in 2011. It was set up by Hong Chi Association and scores 3.6 points （maximum is 5） on Open Rice—a Hong Kong restaurant review website， gaining plenty of favorable reviews in terms of its tastes and service.
Hong Chi Association， formerly known as Hong Kong Association for the Mentally Handicapped， has a history of 50 years since its set-up in 1965. Hong， means to support， and Chi means intelligence. The Association devotes itself to offer professional treatment， skill training， enterprise internships and open employment services to people with mental retardation， assisting in tapping their own potential so as to progressing and depending on themselves.
Huang Meimei said that， 50 years ago as there was no special school established for children with mental retardation who were refused by normal schools， people with intellectual disabilities lost the equal right for education. To solve this problem， a group of parents of children with intellectual disabilities cofounded Hong Kong Association for the Education of Feeble Children in February， 1965， and set up a special school in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon respectively in 1966. With the social development， Hong Chi schools have moved to Songling village of New Territories in Hong Kong， providing education and skill trainings for over 600 people in different age and levels with intellectual disabilities. HC Café便是2011年获社会福利署“创业展才能”计划资助、香港匡智会成立的社会企业，在香港餐饮点评网站Open Rice上网友评分3.6分（5分满分），口味和服务都赢得不少好评。
匡智会，前身为香港弱智人士服务协进会，成立于1965年，至今已有50年历史。匡智会传讯及经费筹募部负责人黄美美介绍，“匡”意指匡扶，“智”为智力，匡智会致力于为智力障碍人士提供专业治疗、技能培训、社企实习和公开就业服务，帮助他们挖掘自身潜力，促进其发展与自立。
黄美美说，五十年前，香港没有专为弱智儿童设立的学校，正常小学又几乎都不接收弱智儿童就读，香港的智障人士因此失去了平等受教育的机会。为解决这一问题，1965年2月，一群智障儿童的家长联合成立“香港低能儿童教育协进会”，并在1964年和1966年分别于隔海相望的港岛和九龙各建立一所特殊学校。随着社会发展，匡智会学校迁至香港新界的松岭村，如今为约600名不同年龄、不同程度的智障人士提供教育和技能训练。
After learning at special schools， some students， based on their skills， will have an internship or find a job in enterprises established by Hong Chi Association， such as HC Café， Hong Chi Farmstead， Hong Chi Gourmet Central Kitchen， Hong Chi Gourmet Bakery， Hong Chi Homestead， The Jockey Club Hong Chi Lodge.
According to Huang Meimei， most of them appreciated the job opportunities and worked with more carefulness and high sense of responsibility. In 2009， many enterprises of Hong Chi Association co-hosted a wedding for Mr. and Mrs. Long. In their letter demonstrated by Huang Meimei， they referred a visit to Hong Chi Kwong Fuk Wai Yin Workshop making little flower cups for their wedding. The members there were clapping to welcome them， glad to see brother bridegroom and sister bride. “Can you imagine your wedding supplier clapped when they see you come to their shop？” it wrote in the letter. The couple also recalled that a member said proudly he was happy to tell his brother to work overtime together with him because of the wedding. They sighed that “we didn’t recall friends/ colleague or ourselves ever appreciated what we already have”. In the end of the letter， the Longs wrote that： “Maybe you need to allow a little more time than commercial vendors， but in return you will get the experiences to work with the amazing staff and workshop members and it will be all worth it.”
Mrs. Mai， who has hired a dozen of employees with disabilities， said they were more careful， steady and rarely job-hopping， which was good for firm’s growth.
Huang Meimei added that although it empathized with those of mental disabilities， the society had a poor understanding of them except their intellectual disabilities. Hong Chi Association have trained more than 80 members with intellectual disabilities for over a year to rehearse an opera based on stories of the Three Kingdoms such as To Borrow Arrows with Thatched Boats， Borrowing East Wind， Fire Assault on Multiple Camps etc. The opera mixed various kinds of art elements， such as sign language， Kung Fu， singing and dancing. Considering actors’ poor memory， all dialogues were prerecorded while some songs were performed by gifted members on live. Media reported that the director， playwrighter and people in charge of the opera as well as the parents express their expectation about it. The mother of a singer Wilson of the show said that： “It is unexpected he is able to do this！” 部分智障学员经过特殊学校的培训后，会按所掌握技能进入匡智会创办的HC Café、匡智环保农庄、匡智佳味中央厨房、匡智佳味糕饼、匡智园、赛马会匡智居等十余家社会企业实习就业。
黄美美说，智障人士大多非常珍惜工作机会，态度认真负责且细致。2009年，匡智会多家社企联合承办了一对龙氏夫妇的婚礼。黄美美向笔者展示了龙氏夫妇亲撰信函。上面提到，他们探访为婚礼制作小花杯的匡智广福慧妍雅集工场时，学员们拍手欢迎，很高兴能见到“新郎哥哥和新娘姐姐”。“试想想，一般筹办婚礼的公司会为到访的客人拍手祝贺吗？”信函写道。龙氏夫妇还忆起听到一位学员自豪说“因为这个婚礼要赶工，我很开心告诉阿哥我跟他一样要加班！”，并感慨“身边的朋友、同事，甚至连自己都从不会欣赏我们所拥有的一切。”信末，龙氏夫妇写道：“与其他承办商相比，或许你要预留多一点准备时间，但匡智会一群出色的学员和尽心的员工将会为你带来意想不到的体验，你会认同就算多费点时间和心思都是值得的。
聘用了十余名残疾人士的雇主麦女士亦说，残疾人士工作仔细，不易跳槽，稳定性强，对公司业务发展有好处。
黄美美说，社会对智障人士大多抱有同情态度，但对其除智力不出众之外的了解，却远远不够。匡智会曾组织80多名智障学员花费一年多时间排练，演出糅合了手语、功夫、歌舞等多种元素，基于“草船借箭”、“借东风”、“火烧连营”等三国典故改编的音乐剧“细味人生”。由于演员记性不佳，所有对白都是预录的，但部分歌曲却是卓有天赋的学员现场献唱。媒体报道，该剧编剧、导演、负责人和家长都感叹演员进步超出预期，献唱者Wilson的母亲更坦言“没想过孩子可以做到这件事！”
Members in Hong Chi also made achievements in many competitions. In 2005， Xianv （nickname）， as a representative of Hong Kong， participated in speed skating of Special Olympics in Nagano， Japan and won two silver medals in 222 meters and 333 meters speed skating items. In 2013， members from Kong Chi won 4 gold medals， 2 silver medals and 5 bronze medals in Special Olympics 2013 Asia Pacific Games held in Newcastle， Australia. In the same year， Tsang Kung Yuen obtained 2 gold medals and 1 silver medal in Asian Youth Para Games 2013. In 2014， Wong Pak To won the Second Class Honour and The Best Series Design Award in the 7th United Nations [WAAD] Greater China Region Anniversary Stamp and Envelope Design Competition， and Tsang Kin Lok obtained the Ancient Poetry Recitation Competition Champion （Junior Secondary School， Hong Kong）.
On October， 10th， 2015， Hong Chi will host 12th “Climbathon” HONG CHI Charity Stair Run， in order to raise funds， and build platform for its members to demonstrate their talents.
According to Huang Meimei， the social activities， competitions， and internships will develop the advantages of the members， assist their integration into society and open a window for the society to know more about them. Perhaps people with intellectual disabilities are disadvantaged in terms of learning and communication， but they are exceptional in many other aspects and even accomplish more due to their concentration.
Christy Cheung， who comes to HC Café for first time via a friend’s introduction， comments that： “They are ordinary people just like us. The environmental here is clean， the service is good， and the food is of Chinese and Western combined with a taste of home cooking.”
智障学员还在多项比赛中取得佳绩。2005年，霞女（昵称）代表香港去日本长野参加世界冬季特殊奥林匹克运动会速度滑冰比赛，勇夺速度滑冰222米和333米两个项目的亚军；2013年，匡智会学员在澳洲纽卡斯尔市举办的特殊奥林匹克亚太区运动会上，获得4金、2银、5铜，曾恭源同年夺得马来西亚吉隆坡亚洲青少年残疾人运动会2金1银的好成绩；2014年，黄柏淘荣获第七届联合国“世界关顾自闭日”大中华地区心思心意邮票及纪念封图案设计比赛二等奖及系列主题图案设计奖；曾建乐获全港中小学校古诗词曲背诵比赛香港区初中组冠军……
2015年10月10日，匡智会将举办第十二届“匡智竞步上云霄”慈善跑楼梯大赛，为智障学员募集经费，并给予学员才艺表演的平台，向公众展示他们的多面才能。
黄美美说，这些社会活动、比赛和企业实习都有利于学员们发挥所长，融入社会，亦为社会了解智障人士打开了窗口。智障人士或许学习、沟通能力不够出色，但在其他很多方面却非常有天赋，甚至因为足够专一，能达成的成就比一般人更大。
经朋友介绍，首次来到HC Café就餐的顾客Christy Cheung便感言：“进店后发现其实都是普通人。环境干净整洁，服务态度也好，菜单中西结合，有家常菜的味道。”