Voluntary Repair Service Helps Safeguard Home

As a design engineer, Mr Chan Hon-man once helped renovate the Shamshuipo office of a
non-profit-making organization. Since then, he has been continuously receiving domestic repair referrals from different welfare agencies, making him aware of the dire need of such voluntary service. Through carrying out maintenance works for the singleton elderly, he could sense their need for others’ help and care and thus set up the Repair Fairy with a few friends in 2015.

 

Strengthening the Value of “Home”

Repair Fairy has gathered about 600 volunteers who provide domestic repair service for the elderly and the deprived. Upon receiving requests, the volunteers will visit the service
recipients’ to learn more about their background and needs; and to inspect the dilapidation
situation of their homes for repair work arrangement. In case of emergency, immediate
repair will be conducted. For example, during a home visit to a disabled person, they found floor tiles bulging up. The volunteers thus rolled up their sleeves at once to resolve the urgent issue.

The volunteers proactively follow up on each repair project, and also present service recipients with gifts in festive times. So far, about 900 families have been benefitted. In addition to practical assistance, Mr Chan believes that their repair service also helps deliver care. "I hope to arouse concern within our volunteers, especially the youngsters, on the importance of family, so that they will care more about their own family members and the vulnerable in society."

Mr Chan has been running a series of domestic repair courses, in the hope of recruiting those with expertise to join as volunteers. The courses cover knowledge and skills in various areas of repair works, ranging from locks, aluminum windows, water pipes, drilling, limewashing to wall-painting, and have attracted participants from all walks of life, including housewives, students and professionals.

Mr Chan aspires to engage more young people in volunteering so as to help more people in need, and to further strengthen the connection of volunteers with “home”. By linking up with various non-profit-making organizations, he hopes to build a mutual assistance network.