Tucked into the streets of Kowloon there is factory that is the only one of its kind in Hong Kong. Like any other factory there are rooms of busy people sewing pieces of fabric on machines, hand-threading beaded jewellery, monitoring pieces on assembly lines, or operating phones in a call center.

There is a special difference, however. Almost every one of the employees at this factory is blind or visually impaired. Operated by the Hong Kong Society for the Blind, the factory and associated workshops are a place where blind and visually impaired people, and some with other disabilities, can find fair, safe employment that acts as a stepping stone to further careers.

122,600 people in Hong Kong are living with visual impairment and 11,400 of these are completely blind. The quality of life for blind and visually impaired people across the world varies dramatically, according to where they live, their level of poverty, and the support services available. Thankfully, in Hong Kong, there is the Hong Kong Society for the Blind, to be a voice, an advocate, a resource centre and a meeting point for people who are rich in talent and potential, but may need extra support to reach their goals. As well as offering things like eyecare services and specialty products to make life more accessible for blind people, they train visually impaired and blind people in skills like piano tuning, handicrafts, factory work, sewing skills, and even massage!

You can find two of the Hong Kong Society for the Blind’s products on our online store, currently our braille keyrings, and stripey fabric pouches, with more to be added soon.