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
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.