By Dr. Kevin Lau
The Government recently launched "Co-prosper HK"—the social welfare project matching platform, inviting social welfare organizations and social enterprises to submit project proposals by 29 November. The first round will target households in subdivided flats, single-parent households, elderly-only households and carers, covering nine themes including respite support, emotional and health support, childcare support and digital inclusion.
The platform marks Hong Kong's transition from one-way resource allocation to institutionalised tripartite collaboration among government, business and the community—a commendable direction. For it to go far, however, it must pair innovation with accountability.
The launch rests on solid policy foundations and pressing needs. The first five-year plan proposes institutionalizing the "government–business–community" poverty alleviation model, and the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address called for a government-led matching platform. These are not empty words: the 2021 Population Census counted about 107,000 subdivided flats housing some 214,000 people, up roughly 17 percent from 2016, while the Commission on Poverty's target groups together involve around 950,000 people. Conventional cash assistance alone cannot meet these groups' nuanced needs in housing, care and emotional support; bringing in business goodwill and community creativity fills the gaps.
Institutionally, Co-prosper HK has three merits. First, it acts as a bridge, not an intermediary—funds flow directly from funders to project organisers, cutting administrative costs and bureaucratic delay. Second, its targets and themes are precisely defined, echoing the principle of targeting those most in need. Third, the vetting process is professional, with shortlisted organisations engaging funders to refine proposals — genuine collaboration, not mere cheque-signing.
Yet goodwill alone is not enough. Past cross-sectoral schemes often started with fanfare but fizzled out for want of measurable outcomes. Every matched project should set quantifiable indicators—service headcounts, improvements in quality of life, sustained service rates—published regularly, ideally with third-party evaluation, so the business sector can see real social returns and public administrative support is used properly.
Particular attention should be paid to carers and the elderly. Oxfam's Hong Kong Poverty Report 2024 recorded 619,000 poverty households in the first quarter of 2024, with elderly persons living alone up 47 percent from 2019 to 131,700. Business participation should go beyond one-off donations—supporting carer technology pilots and regularising respite services—so Co-Prosper HK becomes a sustained resource hub, not a fleeting policy highlight.
Poverty alleviation demands precision, and above all, persistence. With rigorous vetting, transparent operation and objective evaluation, the goodwill embodied in Co-prosper HK can be transformed into tangible wellbeing for grassroots citizens.
The author is the Founding Convenor of the Hong Kong Global Youth Professional Advocacy Action, a specialist in radiology, Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong, and an adviser of the Our Hong Kong Foundation.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
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