{{Short description|Hong Kong charity}} {{Use Hong Kong English|date=January 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{stack begin}} {{Infobox organisation | name = Po Leung Kuk | native_name = 保良局 | native_name_lang = zh-hant | named_after = | image = HK PoLeungKuk.jpg | image_size = | caption = Po Leung Kuk | logo = Emblem of the Po Leung Kuk.svg | logo_size = | logo_caption = Emblem of the Po Leung Kuk | map = | map_size = | map_alt = | map_caption = | abbreviation = | formation = {{start date and age|df=yes|1878|11|08}} | founder = | founding_location = {{flag|British Hong Kong}} | merger = | type = | tax_id = | status = Active | purpose = | headquarters = 66 [[Leighton Road]], [[Hong Kong Island]] | location = {{HKG}} | region_served = | services = | num_members = | num_members_year = | language = | leader_title = Chairman | leader_name = Dr Jenny Y C TAM | leader_title2 = Vice-chairmen | leader_name2 = Mrs Emily H Y TANG<br />Mr Arnaldo Y H HO<br />Mr Louie S N LAM<br /> Mr Patrick H C KWOK <br />Mrs Candy W K HO | board_of_directors = Mr Andrew NGAN<br />Ms Carmen K M CHOI <br />Ms Winnie NG, JP <br />Mrs Stephanie TANG<br />Mr Simon S W CHAN <br />Mr Mo K M WONG <br />Mr Derek MON<br />Mr Winson K Y LEUNG <br />Ms Fay H L CHEUNG, MH<br />Mrs Laverna J L CHAN TONG <br />Mr Teddy W T CHUNG<br />Mr Jeffrey T Y YIM <br /> Mr Nicholas L SETO<br /> Mr Edmond M B LEE, MH, JP | subsidiaries = | affiliations = | budget = | budget_year = | revenue = | revenue_year = | disbursements = | expenses = | expenses_year = | endowment = | endowment_year = | num_staff = | num_staff_year = | num_volunteers = | num_volunteers_year = | slogan = | mission = | website = {{Official Website|http://www.poleungkuk.org.hk}} | remarks = | former_name = Society for the Protection of Women and Children }} {{Infobox Chinese | c = 保良局 | y = Bóu lèuhng guhk | j = Bou2 loeng4 guk6 | p = Bǎo Liáng Jú | hide = yes }} {{stack end}}
The '''Po Leung Kuk''', founded as the Society for the Protection of Women and Children,<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Po Leung Kuk |url=https://www.poleungkuk.org.hk/en/about-us/about-po-leung-kuk |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=Po Leung Kuk |language=en}}</ref> is a [[charitable organisation]] in Hong Kong that provides support for [[orphan]]ed children, education and other services.Its early offices were located on [[Po Yan Street]].
== History == [[File:Opening of Po Leung Kuk.jpg|thumb|left|Dr. [[Kai Ho]] and colonial secretary [[James Stewart Lockhart]] at the opening of the Po Leung Kuk in 1896]] In the late 19th century, [[Kidnapping|abduction]] and [[Human trafficking|trafficking]] of women and children were widespread in Hong Kong, under the ''[[mui tsai]]'' system. On 8 November 1878, a group of local Chinese (Lo Lai-ping, Shi Shang-kai, Fung Ming-shan and Tse Tat-shing)<ref>{{Cite book |title=Centenary History of the Po Leung Kuk Hong Kong 1878–1978}}</ref>{{incomplete citation|date=May 2024}} presented a petition to the [[governor of Hong Kong]], [[John Pope Hennessy]], to set up the Po Leung Kuk to rescue the kidnapped victims, and the society was officially opened in August 1882.<ref name="Carroll">{{Cite book |last=Carroll |first=John M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D37ijXG-FykC&dq=%22John%20Mark%20Carroll%22%20history%20hong%20kong&pg=PP1 |title=A Concise History of Hong Kong |date=2007 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |isbn=978-0-7425-3422-3 |location=Lanham |pages=60–61}}</ref>
The stated objective of the Kuk, as it is informally known, is to care for the young and protect the innocent. In the early days, it was primarily engaged in suppressing [[kidnapping|abduction]] of women and children and providing shelters and education for such victims. There were some difficulties with the colonial government, as a result of cultural differences, but the overall intention of improving the lot of unfortunates was earnestly pursued. However, it has been suggested<ref name=Carroll/> that the arrangements the Kuk provided had the convenient effect of maintaining a supply of servants and potential concubines for the wealthy Chinese families of Hong Kong, in a "peculiarly Chinese form of patriarchy".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sinn |first=Elizabeth |title=Women and Chinese Patriarchy: Submission, Servitude, and Escape |date=1994 |publisher=Hong Kong University Press; Zed Books |isbn=1-85649-126-9 |editor-last=Jaschok |editor-first=Maria |location=Hong Kong; London |page=164 |chapter=Chinese Patriarchy and the Protection of Women in 19th-Century Hong Kong |editor-last2=Miers |editor-first2=Suzanne |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f5o_t7VxHYAC&dq=%22peculiarly+Chinese+form+of+patriarchy%22&pg=PA165}}</ref>
Today the Po Leung Kuk has over 300 units providing a wide spectrum of services, including social services (including medical services), educational services, recycling centers, recreational services and cultural services.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Po Leung Kuk Annual Report 2017–18 |url=http://www.poleungkuk.org.hk/annualreport/201718/index.html |url-status=dead |access-date=23 January 2023 |archive-date=11 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111163015/http://www.poleungkuk.org.hk/annualreport/201718/index.html }}</ref>
==Services== The Kuk currently runs more than 300 units throughout Hong Kong, providing welfare, educational, cultural and recreational services.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}
Schools operated by the Po Leung Kuk include: * [[Po Leung Kuk Camões Tan Siu Lin Primary School]] * [[Po Leung Kuk Celine Ho Yam Tong College]] * [[Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School]] * [[Po Leung Kuk Lo Kit Sing (1983) College]] * [[Po Leung Kuk Mrs. Ma Kam Ming-Cheung Fook Sien College]] * [[Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College]] * [[Po Leung Kuk No.1 W. H. Cheung College]] * [[Po Leung Kuk Stanley Ho Sau Nan Primary School]] * [[Po Leung Kuk Tang Yuk Tien College]] * [[Po Leung Kuk Tsing Yi Secondary School (Skill Opportunity)]] * [[Po Leung Kuk Vicwood K. T. Chong Sixth Form College]]
==See also== *[[Primary Mathematics World Contest]] *[[Po Leung Kuk Museum]] *[[Kuala Lumpur Po Leung Kuk]] *[[Penang Po Leung Kuk]] *[[Singapore Po Leung Kuk]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
[[Category:Po Leung Kuk| ]] [[Category:Children's charities based in Hong Kong]] [[Category:Educational organisations based in Hong Kong]] [[Category:Organizations established in 1878]]