“Health in Action is all about eliminating health inequity by enabling low income workers and families to access quality health care. I’m one of the nutritionists here, providing food safety and nutrition education to street workers in the neighbourhood. My work requires me to be very active in interacting with strangers. Some of the street cleaners may not be so engaged initially but with some time and patience, they will gradually warm up. It’s all about making them feel heard, seen and respected. During COVID, these cleaners have been so integral in keeping our community safe and healthy – yet they often neglect their own health. There is a common misconception that a healthy lifestyle needs to be costly, but I want to spread the word that we can also maintain a nutritious diet that is cheap, good and quick. Through my work, I practise seeing things through the eyes of the street workers every day. Often, what we think they need is not what they really need. Compassion is not sympathy, but respect; it’s respecting the other enough to accept their point of view and to find solutions from their perspective. It’s important to listen before trying to help!”

「醫護行者嘅願景係要消除社會嘅健康不平等，令在職低收入人士同埋家庭有機會接觸有質素嘅醫療服務。我係呢度嘅其中一位營養學家，負責為社區入面嘅清潔工友提供食物安全同埋營養學嘅資訊。我嘅崗位要好主動咁去同陌生人接觸。有啲工友一開頭可能唔係咁願意同我講嘢，但係花啲時間同埋耐性，佢哋都會慢慢同我熟絡。最緊要係令佢哋覺得我有聽緊佢哋講嘢，用心留意同埋尊重佢哋。喺疫情期間，呢班清潔工為我哋社區嘅安全同埋衛生作出咗好重要嘅貢獻，但係佢哋往往會忽視自己嘅健康。好多人會有個錯覺，覺得健康嘅生活方式係要有錢先做得到。但係我想講嘅係，就算係平靚快嘅餐單，都可以係有營養嘅。工作嘅時候，我每日都要練習從工友嘅角度去諗。好多時我哋以為佢哋需要嘅嘢，其實並唔係佢哋真正需要嘅。同理心唔係同情心，而係尊重，係要尊重對方嘅睇法，從佢哋嘅角度去搵解決方案。先聆聽，後幫忙係好重要㗎 ！」

“Street cleaners are often busy on their shifts so we usually only have 15-30 minute slots to convey our message. I’ve familiarised myself with their work schedules in order to find the best time to engage – whether it be in a local park or at the Health in Action community space, which is designed to be a second home; a space for them to rest and connect. Not only are these sessions an opportunity for us to talk about health, but also to build a bond. It takes time to develop trust, but after a while the street workers will start to share their personal worries with me; because sometimes all they want is a listening ear. I’ve lived in this neighbourhood, Kwai Tsing, for over two decades. Growing up, I never really took the time to interact with street cleaners, but my work now has really allowed me to broaden my horizons. Our street cleaners are so dedicated to their job and have such an amazing work ethic. Rather than getting the respect and gratitude that they deserve, some cleaners shared that they have been berated by the public for removing their mask just for a minute to have a sip of water or take a break in the scorching heat. This is not what they deserve and makes me even more passionate about using my knowledge of health and nutrition to help our amazing street cleaners!”

「清潔工友開緊工嘅時候都好忙，所以我哋通常只有15至30分鐘嘅時間去同佢地分享資訊。我記熟咗佢哋個更表，等我可以喺最啱嘅時間搵佢哋傾偈，無論係喺公園定係醫護行者嘅中心，我哋希望中心會成為佢哋嘅第二個家，俾佢哋有個地方去休息同埋聚會。喺呢啲時候我哋唔單止可以講解健康資訊，亦都可以同佢地建立關係。建立信任係要啲時間嘅，但過咗一排，啲工友都會開始同我傾吓心事。因為有時佢哋想要嘅就只係有對耳仔聽佢哋講嘢。我住咗喺葵青呢個區超過20年喇。但係由細到大我都冇接觸過啲清潔工友，而家嘅工作真係令我睇闊咗。我哋嘅清潔工好盡責，有好好嘅工作態度。但係佢哋並冇得到應有嘅尊重同埋感激，有啲工友會話返俾我聽，佢哋曾經俾街上面嘅人鬧，就只係因為佢哋大熱天時除低咗個口罩一分鐘，想去飲啖水或者唞啖氣。呢啲唔係佢哋應該得到嘅嘢，令到我更加想用自己嘅健康同埋營養學知識去幫呢班咁出色嘅清潔工！」

“My first job was as a bank teller, working behind a counter. It was a stable job but I found it so repetitive, and after a while I really started to question my purpose. I realised that I had a passion for healthcare, and so I decided to change course. I also really enjoy food, and wanted to spread the joy of eating well and healthily. The most satisfying part of my work at Health in Action is the opportunity to really engage with people and the community. I really believe that health is something that everyone can work on gradually, whether it be through implementing small changes in eating habits, sleep or exercise routine. A lot of people don’t know how to eat healthily or to improve their physical or mental health. For me, it’s all about finding the right balance – just like in all aspects of life. Of course I try to stay healthy too! In my down time I love to be outdoors and active – I play volleyball, go hiking and also love hip hop dancing!”

「我嘅第一份工係做銀行職員，喺個櫃檯後面做嘢。嗰份工好穩定，但係我覺得做嘅嘢係一式一樣，過咗一段時間我真係開始問自己喺度做緊乜。諗咗一輪之後，我覺得自己對營養行業有熱誠，所以就決定轉行。我亦好鍾意食嘢，想將食得好同埋食得健康嘅快樂分享俾人。喺醫護行者呢度做嘢，最有滿足感嘅地方就係可以同唔同嘅人同埋社群接觸。我好相信每一個人都可以逐步改善自己嘅健康，無論係喺飲食、睡眠或者係做運動嘅習慣上面都可以做少少改變。好多人都唔識點樣去食得健康或者改善佢哋嘅身心健康，對我嚟講，最緊要係搵到一個啱嘅平衡，同我哋生活好多方面一樣。當然我都會保持自己身體健康啦！放假嘅時候，我鍾意出外同埋郁吓，我會打排球，去行山，亦都鍾意跳 hip hop 舞㗎 ！」

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