Niza Mae Cañedo feels anxious about the new school year, which has been postponed from June to October due to COVID-19. Her parents work full-time at their family-owned convenience store, so the 23-year-old freelance writer and graphic designer will be responsible for overseeing her three siblings’ education. One is in fourth grade, the other two […]
Poetry and photography in motion. You miss the heavy heat in summer and the hasty traffic honks, the hearts that ache because of you, and hundreds of unappreciated songs. You miss the change of our writing script in schools and restaurants, and the frisson of protesting in the streets. You miss the ease […]
Carly Pun*, a victim of sexual assault, experienced first-hand how culture can normalise harassment: “On a trip to Kyoto, I was entering my rental apartment one evening when a young man pushed me against the door, squeezed my breasts and ran away. I felt angry, hopeless and vulnerable, like there was nothing I could do. […]
Through the Lens is a recurring photography and poetry series that champions creativity and collaboration. Produced by storytelling platform Spill Stories, this edition delves into the lives of two women who work as street cleaners in Kennedy Town. Mrs Wong Mrs Wong’s hands have provided for 82 years Scrubbed government officials’ homes until she was […]
In this instalment of The Initiative, we check out several projects that are changing the world, little by little. First, we start with a mental health photography project in Hong Kong, then turn our attention to the US where a women-founded film community strives for gender equality in Hollywood, Sierra Leona for empowering art programmes […]
An oncology resident at Prince of Wales Hospital, Dr David Johnson explains how doctors make decisions: “As a health care provider, we are balancing the benefits and risks of our treatments. From clinical experience and research we know that some patients may be at risk of major complications and, in such cases, treatments such as […]
I have an enormous amount of respect for the transgender community and for transgender individuals. It takes a great deal of courage for a person to recognise and embrace a nonconforming identity when there is so much stigma in society. Sadly, however, where there are transgender people, there is also discrimination, and one of my […]
Life in Hong Kong was ‘normal,’ filled with all the usual things: school, family meals, favourite TV programmes, sports, hiking and holidays. A highlight of the year was always our family ski trip to Whistler, Canada, where we were all in our element amongst the awe-inspiring mountains. Life was just fine. And then it wasn’t. […]
Over the past few decades, the scientific community has made major advancements in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) – fertility treatments where doctors handle eggs or embryos to help infertile couples conceive. Alongside in vitro fertilization (also known as IVF, a procedure that involves combining an egg with sperm outside the body), egg freezing is one of […]
A petite woman wearing a traditional salwar kameez dress peers through a crack in the doorway and smiles. As she enters, her gold nose ring casts a reflection on the wall. “I’m feeling a little shy about telling you my story,” she says, carefully taking a seat. Bharti* is a 27-year-old mother of two who […]