Front & Female Awards Hong Kong 2022 Winners
Cover Front & Female Awards Hong Kong 2022 Winners

Tatler hosted the Front & Female Awards Hong Kong 2022 on December 2 at a lunch ceremony at Island Shangri-la, revealing the six winners of the inaugural awards

In a live lunchtime ceremony at the Island Shangri-la's Library and Atrium on December 2, 2022, the six winners of the inaugural Front & Female Awards were announced, chosen from a shortlist of 20 inspiring nominees. These are the individuals championing the progress of women in Hong Kong, as demonstrated by launching or growing an initiative in the last 18 months and identified with the help of an expert voting committee comprised of some of Hong Kong's most influential female leaders. Here, we reveal who they are, what they are doing, why their work is so important and how you can support or get involved in what they do.

Bowie Lam

Tatler Asia
Bowie Lam (Photo: Affa Chan/ Tatler)
Above Bowie Lam (Photo: Affa Chan/ Tatler)

What she’s doing: Bowie Lam is the founder of Teen’s Key, a charity that works with young women in crisis, including those who work in the sex industry, to address their sexual and reproductive health and to empower them to have the freedom to choose their own future.

Why it matters: Every girl or young woman, regardless of their background or experience, should have access to the support and resources they need to achieve their full potential. In many cases, vulnerable young women, especially young female sex workers, do not have safe spaces to turn to or places where they can find the right support. Yet they are at a point in their lives where they can change their direction. With intervention, they can be supported to map their life the way they want to. This is where Lam's organisation Teen's Key comes in. Since it was founded in 2011, Teen's Key has supported more than 13,000 vulnerable young women, including helping almost 2,000 girls in crisis receive emergency intervention. And of 150 girls who have completed the organisation's 18-month life enrichment course, 85 percent have left the sex industry and had new working experiences.

How you can support: From volunteering to help with youth sexual health education activities to fundraising or even scheduling a community impact day or a visit to Teen's Key to understand the at-risk girls empowerment journey, there are numerous ways to support Lam and her organisation. This year, Teen's Key will be hosting its first Christmas charity sale. Not only do proceeds go to helping at-risk young women and girls in Hong Kong, but the products are carefully curated to be ethical and sustainable, with some made by female-founded brands or handmade by Teen's Key girls. Teen’s Key also recently collaborated with Front & Female Awards Hong Kong 2022 nominee Claudia Chanhoi on a limited edition t-shirt

Alicia Lui

Tatler Asia
Alicia Lui (Photo: Affa Chan/ Tatler)
Above Alicia Lui (Photo: Affa Chan/ Tatler)

What she’s doing: Alicia Lui is the founder of Women In Sport Empowered Hong Kong (WISE HK), which engages women and girls in sport as a means to grow personally and professionally and support both physical and mental health.

Why it matters: "The skills you learn related to sport are important—such as time management, discipline, the idea of setting goals and achieving what you want—and can be transferred to the business world. Women and girls should play sports because it gives us the tools, the mindset, the language to build our confidence and overcome any self-limiting believes. It helps society see women and girls as being strong to overcome these barriers," says Lui. "Additionally, the science seems to say that neurologically girls experience a dip in self-confidence when they are in their teens—you can’t avoid it. Whatever the reason for it, sport is one of the simplest interventions because of the neurological connections that physical activity has in building the brain. There is research that says that girls who play sport are less likely to want to change their body image, they feel more confident, are less worried about living up to other people and have a more secure sense of self that they can go and pursue what they want."

How you can support: WISE HK welcomes volunteers for various activities including its projects working with teenagers, and to help with fundraising, marketing and communications, as well as donations to support these projects. Creative partnerships and sponsorships for various projects are also available. 

Kay McArdle

Tatler Asia
Kay McArdle (Photo: Affa Chan/ Tatler)
Above Kay McArdle (Photo: Affa Chan/ Tatler)

What she’s doing: As the founder of Equal Justice, Kay McArdle is on a mission to close Hong Kong's justice poverty gap and to enable the city's disadvantaged facing legal problems to have access to the necessary help. 

Why it matters: "All Hong Kong people, and especially disadvantaged people, should be able to anticipate, prevent and solve their legal problems, regardless of their ability to pay legal fees," says McArdle. "In the cases we see, the inability to identify and solve legal problems can be existential and has a multiplier and devastating effect on the health and welfare of the people we help,"

How you can support: Equal Justice relies on donations. There are also opportunities to volunteer and in particular the organisation is looking for individuals who are "creative thinkers, analytical, organised, have legal experience or training, are technical, financially literate".

Fiona Nott

Tatler Asia
Fiona Nott (Photo: Affa Chan/ Tatler)
Above Fiona Nott (Photo: Affa Chan/ Tatler)

What she’s doing: As CEO of The Women's Foundation, Fiona Nott drives the organisation in its quest to improve the lives of women and girls in Hong Kong by challenging gender stereotypes, advancing women leaders and empowering women in poverty.

Why it matters: According to the UN, gender equality is "not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world." The Women's Foundation is on a mission to move Hong Kong towards gender equality by promoting the full and equal participation of women and girls in all aspects of Hong Kong society, through a wide range of means, from research and education to advocacy and programmes that engage women of all ages and from various sectors of society. 

How you can support: There are plenty of ways to get involved with The Women's Foundation, from fundraising to improve the lives of women and girls, to joining its various events, to being part of the organisation's flagship Mentoring Programme for Women Leaders, either as a protege (aimed at women with five to 10 years of experience) or mentor (with 15 years or more of work experience)—applications for the new cycle start in summer 2023.

Manisha Wijesinghe

Tatler Asia
Manisha Wijesinghe
Above Manisha Wijesinghe

What she’s doing: Manisha Wijesinghe is the executive director of Help for Domestic Workers, which not only offers crisis response services to Hong Kong migrant domestic workers, but also ensures they have access to justice, receive fair and equal treatment in Hong Kong as well as providing education and advice. 

Why it matters: "The women and men who are Help’s beneficiaries experience some of life’s most difficult challenges: leaving their home and country, being unable to see their children grow up and, in extreme cases, abuse and exploitation," says Wijesinghe. "I want to dedicate my time and energy to support the migrant domestic worker community in Hong Kong and to raise awareness about the significant role they play in our lives. In particular, I want to make sure that their voices are heard at every level of society and their contributions to Hong Kong’s economic and social development are recognised and celebrated."

How you can support: Donations to Help are essential, as is volunteering, whether it's taking part in programmes and activities or interacting directly with the domestic helper community as a caseworker. Help also welcomes Filipino, Bahasa Indonesia and Hindi speakers to be able to communicate with the Help community directly. Corporates can get involved in a variety of ways, from event sponsorship to long-term collaborations.

Jennifer Yu Cheng

Tatler Asia
Jennifer Yu Cheng (Photo: Affa Chan/ Tatler)
Above Jennifer Yu Cheng (Photo: Affa Chan/ Tatler)

What she’s doing: Passionate about education and, in particular, educating girls, Jennifer Yu Cheng founded her Jennifer Yu Cheng Girls Impact Foundation (JYCGIF) to empower and educate teenage girls to take on the task of leading the next generation. 

Why it matters: In a fast-changing world, it's key that the younger generations are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed and Yu Cheng and her foundation are focused on helping teenage girls in particular develop a tech mindset and digital skills, from AI to coding, as well as the ability to lead with confidence so that they are "future ready".

How you can support: Corporates have the opportunity to co-create programmes for students, make charitable donations or sponsor various programmes and events. For individuals, donations and volunteering are welcome. For further information, contact info@jyc.org.

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Photography  

Affa Chan

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