Newsletter No. 414

政治與行政學系 黃雅怡 與三位同學選擇 在內蒙的敖漢婦女發展協會落腳，協會主要 透過給予貧困婦女小額貸款，協助 她們做小生意自力更生。 接待雅怡等人的是這協會創辦 人 尹向麗 女士，她談到創立的 原因，是簡單又理所當然的： 「現在已經一把年紀，不再打算在公 職上向上爬，那就想想怎樣獻愛心好了。」 八周的實習工作主要是與協會的信貸員下鄉， 訪問借貸的農戶，了解其需要，以及小額貸款 對他們的幫助，務求協會的服務更切合所需。 與信貸戶傾談後，雅怡發現他們一般每年可獲借六千 元，其實搔不着癢處，他們仍要到其他單位籌措款項。 信貸戶要提供收入證明作為還款保證，換言之，他們須 有工作或生意已起步，而最需要協助的赤貧，往往不符 合借貸條件而不能受惠。 雅怡說：「理念上小額貸款是可幫助她們，但實際運作卻受 不少其他因素影響，現實總不能如理想般完美。」她說此行 尤如開了一扇窗，堅立了她將來專研社會發展這方向，希望 可用新思維落實對貧困者的幫助。 貴州雖是專業會計學內地生 袁文穎 的家鄉，然而，她卻從 未嘗踏足貴州少數民族的聚居地。在貴州鄉土文化社實 習，使她有機會走到僻遠村落，了解世外桃源的生活。 文化社致力保育貴州本土文化，例如替村莊修葺戲 台，讓以侗戲馳名的貴州侗族有地方表演他們的民 族歌舞。文化社又將村民擅長的刺繡藝術，轉化成 工藝品出售。該社調研人員常要訪村了解村民需 要，文穎和兩同學隨他們往不同的村落，其餘時間就 協助文化社把文件翻譯成英文，好向外國申請資金。 文穎等人曾從貴陽到約六小時車程外的村落雀鳥。她說 村民生活簡樸，自有一份寧靜與安逸。「村裏沒 有商店，各家都過着自給自足的生活。他們 一大清早便會落田耕種，午餐自備以樹葉 包裹的飯團，傍晚就回家。」村民即使物 質不充裕，卻活得簡單開心，這種生活 模式令她心生嚮往。 是次實習還令她明白要找適合方法保 存文化的重要。當地年輕一輩多往外打 工或求學，村莊餘下的主要是年紀稍長者 或兒童，要承傳歌唱文化，不能如過往般一代 繼一代口耳相傳，而是要有系統的整理戲本、歌 本，方可妥善保存，這亦是文化社的工作之一。 廣東省漢達康福協會是內地一個服務麻瘋康復者的團體， 選擇在那裏實習的政治與行政學系 周穎珊 表示：「麻瘋康 復者是在香港甚少接觸的一類弱勢社群，很有挑戰性。」 在上世紀八十年代治療麻瘋藥物發明之前，麻瘋是高度傳 染病，患者會遭親友和社會遺棄，只可在麻瘋村與其他患 者生活。協會扶助這被忽略的一群自力更生，例如購買痲 瘋村村民的蜂蜜，包裝出售，所賺的用作改善村民生活。 穎珊和兩同學在實習期間隨協會職員先後造訪三條村落， 她謂康復村的村民，雖然部分有肢體傷殘，且感官較為遲 緩，但生活卻很快樂。實習生又在中國慈善展覽會的漢達 攤位負責推廣，更協助漢達籌辦慈善拍賣會。 麻瘋病有藥可治後，康復村已沒有新來的村民。 協會雖然開始嘗試發展其他項目，但仍然視 麻瘋康復者為主要服務對象。於1999年 加入漢達的理事長 陳志強 醫生 更對實習生說：「即使只剩下 最後一個麻瘋康復者，漢達的 麻瘋康復項目，還是要做下去。」 簡單一句話，裝載多少堅持。 The Handa Rehabilitation and Welfare Association is a mainland NGO established to serve ex-lepers. Markiana Chau from the Department of Government and Public Administration said, ‘This is a minority group that can rarely be reached in Hong Kong. I think this is challenging.’ Leprosy was an incurable infectious disease before the 1980s. Sufferers were abandoned by their families, friends and society. They lived in rehabilitation villages with other lepers. The association helped them to fend for themselves. For example, the association would buy honey produced by the villagers and sell it. The money gained would be used to improve living standards in the village. Angelia Yuan , a mainland student of Professional Accountancy, came from Guizhou. However, she had never visited the remote areas of the province where the ethnic minorities live before her internship at Guizhou Institution for Indigenous Culture Development. The institution is committed to the conservation of indigenous cultures. For instance, it helped the inhabitants to repair a broken stage so the villagers could perform Dong ethnic songs and drama. It also assisted in promoting the villagers’ embroidery by packaging it as saleable commodity. Staff members of the institution visited the villages regularly. Angelia and other two team members joined them on several visits. For the rest of the time, they helped to translate overseas funding applications. Rachel Wong from the Department of Government and Public Administration had her internship at Aohan Women’s Development Association in Inner Mongolia with three other team members. The association helps women in poverty by providing them with small loans to run their own businesses. When talking to the interns about the reason for setting up 與麻瘋康復者同行　 Walk with Ex-Lepers 承傳少數民族文化　 Conserving the Culture of Ethnic Minorities 小額貸款助貧困婦女　 Small Loans for Women in Poverty Once, they visited Queniao Village which took them on a six-hour ride from Guiyang. Angelia said the people there lived a simple and happy life even though they were not wealthy in terms of material possessions. ‘There is no shop in the village but people are self-sufficient. They farm in the early morning, eat their self-packed lunches and come back home in the evening.’ She found that this was the life she desired. Angelia also learnt the importance passing on one’s culture. After youth and middle-agers leave the village to work or study, only the elderly and the young children remain. It is difficult to pass on songs orally, so a systematic way of recording scripts, lyrics, and scores was required. This was one of the institution’s projects. Together with staff of the association, Markiana and other two students visited three rehabilitation villages. She found the villagers were generally cheerful, though some of them were physically handicapped or with sensory deprivation. The students also helped in the association’s booth in China’s charity expo, and worked in an auction held by the association. No newcomer had joined the village subsequent to the invention of leprosy medicine. The association started to develop other projects, but still stuck to its primary target clients. Dr. Chen Zhiqiang , director of the association who joined in 1999, claimed, ‘Even if there is one ex-leprosy patient, Handa will continue to serve them.’ What dedication and resolve! During the eight-week placement, the major duty of the students was visiting the borrowers with the association’s staff. They interviewed the debtors to know whether the loan scheme can help these peasant households and relayed their feedback to the association. In general, each woman can borrow RMB¥6,000 per year. Rachel found that the amount was only a drop in the bucket. They still have to borrow money from other parties. Moreover, the women have to provide income proof, that is, they must have a job or business. This means that the most underprivileged cannot benefit from the scheme. Rachel said, ‘In theory, small loans can help women in poverty. But in the real world, there are many constraints which make situations less than ideal.’ The experience gave her new insight and reassured her to pursue her study in the field of development study. She hoped she can help the needy by implementing remedial measures with a new mindset. the NGO, Ms. Yin Xiangli , the founder of the association, gave a simple answer: ‘I am old enough and it’s not likely that I’ll be further promoted in my work, so I focus on how to show my kindness to the needy.’ 周穎珊 Markiana Chau 袁文穎 Angelia Yuan 黃雅怡 Rachel Wong No. 414, 19.3.2013 3