LocalHood in the Press: hk01.com

A couple weeks back we were fortunate enough at LocalHood to be interviewed by www.hk01.com and they gave us a lovely feature article revolving around our mission and cause! Below we have a very rough translation of the article. Please stay tuned for a properly translated piece! But for those who can read Chinese please click here for the full article!

· Neighborhood alienation, is a reflection of many residents of the building.

Many people may not know the name of the "fence house". "Meet the mouth, late to meet," the neighbors as distant relatives, each from the front door.

· Resident Frenchman Pooja Dhyani said this strange neighbor relationship very lonely, six months ago decided to jointly organize lobbying mansion neighbor neighborhood activities, and after the launch internet LocalHood, encourage members via a network link, the interaction between the development of new neighbors LocalHood since its establishment more than six months, there are about 10 volunteers, more than 700 members.

Volunteers or organizations responsible for marketing LocalHood neighborhood activities. Member is a resident of their buildings, after LocalHood page free registration, a building with an assembly of 50 members, volunteers will be open to members of the private Facebook group so that residents, including exchanges.

For example, some people asked for supermarket printing, some people asked to introduce "Tongqu guy", the residents of the group is also very enthusiastic response to the group members. Pooja and a public recreational activities organized volunteer occasionally, since June, they have organized three events, such as the pre-Christmas drinks parties. In addition, they also produced a booklet, the door to a different building publicity to encourage residents to participate. At the same time, they also mean that residents will meet in groups, at night in the bar or coffee shop to meet to chat, or go sightseeing together.

LocalHood initiated by the resident French Pooja, she lives in Sai Ying Pun, so the area within LocalHood publicity also expanded. From the Pooja alone asked the neighbors of the building began to slowly form a volunteer team, set up a web page, recruit members. Along the way, they went to a different building within the region to promote its insisted chat face to face, personally explain to strangers along this new neighborhood.

Half a year, Sai Ying Pun has eight buildings organized Facebook group; now moving to Kennedy Town, there are two buildings in the successful group. Pooja refers to the gradual expansion of the program from Sai Ying Pun to other districts. Volunteers are now actively promoting different buildings. If residents of other districts have agreed to LocalHood's plans, they hope that volunteers will go to their buildings to promote them.

To establish a relationship with the local "unfamiliar" is the biggest obstacle

However, as Pooja and volunteers are mostly borrowers, the main communication language in English, it attracted members to foreigners, accounting for 50% of the total number of members. They want to interact with more locals, there are more local participation LocalHood, because the relationship with the local people in order to generate a sense of belonging.

However, they also point to local people to promote LocalHood has some difficulty. "Our volunteers have been exposed to the outside of the building, but sometimes we stop to spend a minute listening to us are reluctant, but we also understand that this is not because the people of Hong Kong indifference, but they are not accustomed to Strangers talk. "Pooja volunteers also understand the difference between Chinese and Western cultures, foreigners more active, direct, local people more tactful, passive; so understand LocalHood is not an easy thing to promote.

Pooja is a banker, 5 years ago with her husband to settle in Hong Kong. She said: "I see Hong Kong as their home, like Sai Ying Pun, where Western hybrid, is a really good place, however, the neighborhood know each other, it is difficult to find someone to have difficulty assistance, and I am very lonely. "Everyone has long working hours and is rarely greeted on weekdays. It is difficult to get to know his neighbors on weekdays. Life encountered trivial troubles, such as temporary by socket or to find someone to help put the dog, do not know what to look for help.

She continued: "encountered difficulties in their daily lives, such as a trip to the Trustee to take care of the family pet for watering potted plants, but also rely on local people living relatives of his district, foreigners unaccompanied." She and a colleague, Friends share feelings and found that we all intends to improve the neighborhood, but the lack of practical action; so he will take the lead, set up LocalHood.

Good-neighborliness is a common desire

Desmond is LocalHood volunteers, sharing a building with Pooja, he said: "My mother grew up in Hong Kong, I heard her mention childhood neighborhood are wonderful and they look at each other's child care, I borrowed everyday objects Back in Hong Kong, I feel that the neighborhood is very strange, we do not say hello, is no longer the mother's mouth looks like.In fact, we all want to integrate into Hong Kong, to find a sense of belonging here. "

Pooja said he lived in different cities, including Paris, London and Delhi, "this big city in Paris, and it is equally busy, but in the neighborhood and saw a lift or a public place, without warning is not polite thing." Therefore, she felt that it was easier to know the neighborhood in Hong Kong than in Hong Kong.

They feel that LocalHood can promote proximity to the neighborhood, but the local people need time to accept this new business model. "Many local people appreciate LocalHood because it reminds them of the days when Hong Kong was a place where uncle and aunt called neighbors."

1. The management company does not like residents to unite

However, they also said that leaflets were set up outside the various blocks of the building. They were frequently driven out by security guards and even a management company called for them to leave. Pooja said: "We just want to improve neighborhood relations, publicity also is legal, public space outside the building to send brochures, and will not enter the building Accordingly, even if the police come, we explain finished, the police also very supportive of our actions."

They said that the management company does not like the residents of unity is a natural thing, fear residents united, things will be difficult to deal with when encountered. But the residents have a sense of unity, daily mutual assistance, but also more effectively to discuss their own affairs of the building.

Self-financing development platform app.

At the same time, they also plan to develop their own mobile applications. Desomond refers to the current Facebook group has restrictions, such as the difficulty of establishing an event schedule, set up complaints platform, so want to build a more comprehensive app, but Pooja continued: "We do not have any money, so rely on Facebook and other free platform to disseminate information. future would like to launch app, make us more effective mutual help. "she refers to several different app currently receive quotes, it is difficult to say how much money will hope to have the test version in July.