A-Desiflava Magazine Nov-Dec 2020 Issue

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Volume 9 | Issue 5 | NOV-DEC 2020 HONG KONG’S FIRST LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR SOUTH ASIANS

Entertain

Enlighten

Engage

Love, Live

or Leave

Hongkong A Periscopic view of living in HK from variable angles COVER STORY

Indian Diwali without Chinese lights?

Would India be able to ditch Diwali's dependence on Chinese exports this season?

FEATURED

The need of the hour Immunity Monitored, Connected & Stylish with Voltmi Dr.Senor

BRAND TALK

Following Passion with your Daytime Job Sounds Quirky?

Find out how this vicenarian guy along with others is rolling the shutter to beat the stress

PROFILE

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Eat Pure Stay Healthy

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THE WORLD IS SPINNING AND I CAN'T FIND THE BRAKES...I'M NOT SURE WHERE TO LOOK, NOR AM I SURE WHO WILL FIND THEM IN 2021 TEN FULL YEARS - with A-Desiflava Magazine, we've reached a full rotation of all the planets, stars, and galaxies since we launched our first issue in October 2011. One decade completed, and we are still going strong. Incredible news for us and all those great people who have helped us reach so far. Many more to go.

The World in our cute little city-state Hong Kong has undoubtedly been spinning. Around the same time last year, I remember my Editor's note writing about Hong Kong protests causing complete unrest, and now the entire World is shaken because of this mofo coronavirus.

Thankfully, now everyone's mindset in Hong Kong and India has become more immune to this deadly virus, even more than their actual body's immunity. Yes, as many say its all in mind, and as long as you don't fear it, you won't get. Go, Corona Go! Love, Live OR Leave Hong Kong? A hot question buzzing on our heads due to the recent Hong Kong-China unrest has put big questions on Hong Kong's future. What is going to happen in the year 2048? no more Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, or do we get forced to use WeChat, Baidu, and all the Chinese apps? Will Hong Kong become Shanghai, or will it maintain its perfect blend of East and West. In this edition, our guest writer Dhruvita Candy has spotlighted these moves while taking a peek at some real-life examples of people who have spent substantial time in HK and have then moved out and are happily living in another country. The story covers the pros and cons of living in HK based on these families' personal experiences who are now missing their world-city or are happy living elsewhere.

Can you imagine Indian Diwali without Chinese lights? Would India be able to ditch Diwali's dependence on Chinese exports this season? It is not hard to see what China has achieved in the past few decades as a manufacturing hub for the whole World. Pick up any object or gadget that might be lying around in front of you, and there are 10 out of 9 chances that the underside would spell out the familiar phrase ‘Made in China’. With the recent border rift between India and China, many anti-china sentiments have developed in India and among all Indians majorly. But can the dependency on China's manufacturing strength be ever given up? Our talented writer Ronak Singh Bhasin covers a sensational story on this subject in our FEATURED section.

Following passion with your day time job sounds Quirky? Our PROFILE section features the Creative Photography Club, Hong Kong. A group of ardent, amateur, and professional photographers (from Hong Kong and Sydney) came from different walks of life who joined hands, giving birth to this creative talent group. In this article, meet Mrinmaya Shrivastava, our writer, and the Youngest Professional Organizer for any photography club in entire Hong Kong.

I want to thank every reader of A-Desiflava Magazine and a big thanks in advance to the new readers who would get a piece of our beautiful work from Ten years of hard work for our Indian and South Asian community in Hong Kong.

We wish you all a very Happy Diwali and Prosperous New Year! From the entire team of A-Desiflava Magazine.

Thankfully, this dreadful and awful and fxxking year is coming to an end!

Enjoy reading and please share your comments and feedback with me, I am always desperately waiting to hear back from you.

As a Diwali Gift from A-Desiflava Magazine, we are giving a special HK$100 discount to all our readers with the purchase of Voltmi Dr.Senor Smart Immunity Monitoring watches, which are now available in Hong Kong. To avail of this special Diwali gift, please call Mr.Jason Wong on 52335595 or contact me directly.

Meet you all next year in 2021 until then, Good Bye and Enjoy Reading!

Gaurav Pardeshi E-mail: gaurav@adesiflava.com • +852-95433660

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CONTENTS CONTENTS

Love, Live or Leave Hong Kong COVER STORY

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Indian Diwali without Chinese lights?

FEATURED

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Helpless without a Caregiver?

IN THE MOOD

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Following Passion with Your Daytime Job Sounds Quirky?

PROFILE

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CONTENTS CONTENTS

The need of the hour BRAND TALK

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How is Covid-19 Affecting Women DID YOU KNOW

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Contests

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Love, Live

or Leave Hong Kong A Periscopic view of living in HK from variable angles

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ong Kong is home to a sizeable expatriate population, and South Asians are a significant number.

From work opportunities to marriage, there are varied reasons why people move to Hong Kong, live here for considerable time and many move out as well, as the fast paced life of HKSAR might not be an ideal place for many to thrive here for long!

Mom’s cooked food filled with love, the fun festivals, eating with hands without feeling awkward, being surrounded by known faces of family, friends and relatives, chatpata (Spicy and tangy) street food, cricket mania (especially when it’s an India-Pakistan fixture), give a small glimpse of what people settled in Hong Kong miss and yearn. Over the years, people have been moving in and out of this World City quite often.

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The reasons vary. From a new assignment, work transfer, better opportunity, kids’ education, family emergency or just love for home country to name a few, which have compelled people who are settled in HK comfortably, to pack their bags and move out! On the other hand there are many families who have settled in Hong Kong and are second generation expatriates, who completely belong to Hong Kong and any amount of challenges or opportunities would not welcome thoughts of moving out at all. They may consider going away for a brief time, but would return and see themselves as a part of the HK diaspora.

people to consider leaving or continue living in HK. One of the recent ones are the HK protests opposing the introduction of the extradition law -now defunct- which was tabled by the Government to be promulgated as a law in HK. This was in full swing when the Coronavirus hit in early 2020 which derailed the HK economy, followed by the imposition of the National Security Law which was passed by PLA using its special powers over HK. Now the question –to move or to stay- has assumed more gravity than before. Many families left, many are thinking of a move soon, some are undecided and some feel life in HK is still the same!

In this edition we put the spotlight on these moves, while taking a peek at real life examples of people who have spent, substantial time in HK. Till now these moves looked normal, as living in HK, one should be ready for friends that keep changing periodically. People are always moving in and out of Asia’s world city. It has some common reasons for the move which look quite normal.

While initially it does hurt many who look for lifelong friendships, but slowly it sinks in that HK being one of the most expensive cities in the world, the turnover and movement of people is high!

People come and go at higher frequencies relatively than in other countries like USA, UK, Australia and NZ.

Variety of people and plethora of perspectives. Let us look at some families who have spent considerable time in HK, settled and re-settled at various places including the ones who have returned home. How do they feel, what do they miss, given an opportunity what would be their preferred place to live….

Coming to the recent times and developments that have taken shape in HK, it is worth a concern and special mention apart from other compelling factors for

Let’s sneak into some lives:::::

in Hong Kong. People here have a choice of a world class public transport, hence relatively few people own personal transport. While on the flip side, she wishes Hong Kong would be less expensive, especially housing and schooling. She feels HK is a perfect blend of East and West. It has a culturally sound environment and provides the best in technology as well. For her the unique thing that sets HK apart from other places is Safety, Freedom and Live & let live attitude of the masses.

Pearly Chhabra Pearly, an accredited hair and make-up artist, relocated from Hong Kong to Australia, has another view to share.

Professional reasons brought her to Hong Kong, while better quality life for family led her to move to the only country continent this world has. In a nutshell, she feels Hong Kong will always be special and close to her heart for everything it has offered her, except for spacious living and quality education. While away from Hong Kong she

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misses the awesome food at the quaint little joints in the alleys of Hong Kong, its vibrant night life, the convenience of walking to the nearest supermarket for her Asian fix, the skyline, the cutest accessories and the accessibility to travel the multitude around the country.

She wishes everyone in

Noorie Soneji Meet Noorie Soneji. Noorie got married and moved to Hong Kong 18 years ago. She adapted the HK lifestyle like a fish to water. She is happy and believes in the adageWhen in Rome, do as Romans do. She is a Hong Kong citizen and given a choice would choose HK- hands down-over any other country to settle.

She is extremely happy with the travel convenience and healthcare facilities available

The Chabra family, Pearly and her children now happy in Australia after living in Hong Kong

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Hong Kong to savour it all and as much as they can, because your heart will ache when you leave it. Without a second thought though, her ideal place to settle would be Gold Coast, Australia, however if there is a need to relocate to HK she would give the opportunity a bear hug! In her own words, “After our move from India, we lived in San Francisco before moving to Hong Kong but now Australia is home for good. It did come as a shock to see places close early here and we did miss the buzz that Hong Kong offered but in the bigger scheme of things, we aren’t in a rush to pack a ton in our days, there’s ample time to pursue a hobby or a sport, go for long drives and see the amazing wildlife and terrain here. Kids are raised easy and there is no crazy pressure to excel at everything to prove a point to society. Our kids love Australia much more than they ever loved another country.” Some people say “HK really spoils you!” or “HK is literally best of both worlds, you get the comforts of the west coupled with the warmth of Asia with much needed house help thrown in!!” On pressing her further on the house help bit, she exclaims emphatically, “Whilst who doesn’t appreciate having some help around chores? However, gadgets (dishwashers) are far more accessible here and given the space and cleanliness, there are fewer days when you need a cleaning. I was horrified when I saw our apartment space in HK when we first moved in, especially the kitchen. I laugh on hindsight recollecting all the times we had to clean the area

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after each meal and move things around to make room for visiting guests.” When asked, if there was one thing she could change about Hong Kong it would be the language troubles! She adds, that there is a pressure on looks and physical appearances being in a certain way- spotless faces and a petite frame which could be tough on one mentally. Not to forget the annoying “sorry no English” when they botch up a service is another peeve. Citing an incident, she remarked, “I’ve had innumerable experiences where they market stuff in perfect English and when you convey your unpleasantness they say “sorry, no English”.

I wish they owned up and apologized.” To support her previous observation she adds, “I feel the locals can get nosey sometimes, I wish they practiced some restraint while voicing their judgments especially on someone’s physical appearance. As she is very happy and completely satisfied with life in Australia they have no plans to acquire HK citizenship. The one thing that literally sets HK apart is the active vibe of the place, which is very addictive, literally at par with Mumbai (India’s Commercial capital and leading business hub).

Manisha Naresh Sharma Meet Manisha Naresh Sharma. She has been a Hong Konger for over 40 years now.

She has been raised here and knows Hong Kong to its core. She loves every bit of this city-country, and says that she has seen the world, but would still insist that

Hong Kong is the best! She adds by saying that there is no place like Hong Kong, and according to her even if she thinks too hard, she cannot think of any single thing that can be changed in Hong Kong to make it a better place to live in. She is a happy Hong Kong citizen spending her life with family and kids on Lantau Island in Hong Kong’s new territories.

Leena and Sanjay Srivastava Spouse’s transfer brought Leena to Hong Kong about 14 years ago. Along with her husband Sanjay, she has been happily living here and wishes to do so till it is time to return back home, and live a peaceful retired life. In fact they got an opportunity to shift to its Asian Contemporary, Singapore, but after weighing the pros and cons, Hong Kong won by a comfortable margin and they are still here and happy. She feels HK is very safe, convenient, has excellent public transport, it is disciplined and systematic.

Lower crime rates and cleanliness are its two big plus points. On the other hand she feels language is a big dampener. People who do not know Cantonese find it very difficult to get a job in Hong Kong. It is very expensive place with exorbitant rents which rank amongst the highest in the world. Space being a major issue with very tiny shoe box houses. On the other hand she generally found people in Hong Kong to be honest. This she says with her experience of losing her wallet with money and credit card, not once, but

twice and it was picked by someone who surrendered it to a nearby police station for a safe return. She absolutely agrees with the statement that HK literally spoils anyone who gets a chance to stay here and feels it has the best of both worlds on offer.

People get the comforts of the west, and also the warmth and helping hand in form of house maids as in the East.

She feels if she could change something in Hong Kong, it would be : English widely spoken and more spacious apartments which make them livable. Regarding HK citizenship, they had a plan to do so, but dropped the idea due to the recent political turmoil. They wish to wait and watch before taking a final decision on this. The one thing that sets HK apart from the other places she would be the amazing public transport. No other place in the world is so convenient she feels.

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Neha Jain Neha Jain moved to Hong Kong when she was quite young, and now has settled here for over 25 years. Her father’s work brought the family to HK. She has spent considerable time in Singapore too. Her observations of the city full of sky scrapers is very specific. She feels widely connected public transport, country parks and islands, wider shopping options, organized banking systems which makes things smoother are the major pros of HK. In the flip side she is concerned about the air pollution which is omnipresent in HK, another stumbling block she feels is the language barrier not to mention lack of vegetarian dining options and finally super expensive yet limited space for housing.

On a personal basis, she does not like winters, so prefers equatorial climate of Singapore to chilly HK winters, which really tend to get extreme due to its high humidity levels. She feels HK really spoils its people by providing best of west and east combos that one can possibly ask for, and she would rate HK the best, another reason for this feeling is probably because she was raised in this world city. If she had to list the highlights of HK they would be, amongst other things previously mentioned, Government health and other benefits, nearness to home country, Indian and South Asian friends. Compared with other similar cities, Hong Kong boasts a diverse range of habitats and rich biodiversity despite its small land area.

Apart from the soaring skyscrapers and urban

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jungle, Hong Kong is a great place for nature lovers and occasionally, she ventures out into the lush mountains and beautiful beaches to connect with nature. She believes that Hong Kong has something on offer for everyone.

Gaurav Pardeshi & Neha Pathak 9 years ago, for business reasons the Pardeshi family moved out of Mumbai to Hong Kong. In a series of businesses the coupleGaurav and Neha Pardeshigot involved, the overall experience of Hong Kong was amazing for them. Gaurav feels HK is a heaven for entrepreneurs like him as it is very business friendly and everything is well organized and planned by the government. This eventually supports in trying new ventures and materializing ideas into reality. While during their journey from 2009 till date, it has been quite pleasant, from launching the first South Asian magazine, to starting a restaurant named Aamchi Mumbai in the heart of the city along with Dabbawala (catering and tiffin service) and starting to host events like Box Cricket League, Annual Navratri celebrations, Holi parties to name a few, there has been some dampeners in this roller coaster ride too. He is of a firm opinion, that if at all you are thinking of leaving HK, do not leave it completely till you are satisfied and well set in another country. Leaving a doorway open and re-entering HK might be a safer option to take. However he warns

Gaurav, Neha & Aadi in Hong Kong MTR

Gaurav & Neha celebrating Ganpati in Tung Chung

that from his experience of spending few years in the business arena in HK it is best to be straight forward in dealing with HK laws, systems and its banks and never be tempted to cut corners, as it would be erroneous to think that one is here for a limited time, and doing some hanky-panky and not abiding by the law would be okay, then it would be a big mistake. The HK government is linked with other countries at the highest levels and not abiding by HK policies and procedures would spoil one’s

credit history in many other countries where one might be thinking to enter post the Hong Kong stint. After living in London and USA, he feels HK is the most ideal place to settle, provided one has sufficient income to support a healthy living for oneself and one’s family. For them, a family emergency compelled them to move back to India briefly which got extended to almost 2.5 years. During this move, this revelation got even more obvious that Hong Kong is the place to be and not Mumbai, which happens

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to be Gaurav’s hometown. He soon plans to move back to Hong Kong once he can wind up the affairs at home. He is totally impressed with the HK government which is totally unbiased and transparent to every HK resident, it constantly works for the betterment of its citizens, when it comes to Government rules and regulations there are no grey areas it is either black or white and thus easy to be understood and follow, additionally the Government provides exceptional medical support equipped with ultramodern infrastructure such as state-of-the-art hospitals and well qualified doctors. In these trying Covid times too, an incredible step taken by the HK government was to pay HKD 10,000 as a cash incentive to all its permanent residents. As there are two sides of every coin, Gaurav has some concerns to be

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listed too. HK has language barrier as 60 to 70% of its population still relies and prefers Cantonese or Mandarin as the primary language of communication, this if replaced by a more commonly spoken language, would help HK to raise the bar from where it is presently placed. Secondly, Job insecurity coupled with an overall high standard of living makes it difficult to survive for long if one does not have a stable job or a wellestablished and sustainable business venture. He feels that a large chunk of one’s income would be spent on house rentals and children’s education. Apart from these, he opines that HK is quite expensive overall which includes areas like food, travelling and high taxi fares.

Though he would not consider HK culture to be racist, but still old generation Chinese people prefer not to mingle with Indians or people with South Asian descent. A huge income gap which divides the masses in HK is another observation that sets him thinking. While according to him, highlights of living in HK would be its public transport, Government health and other benefits, Tax savings and MPF, he would also like to change certain aspects if he could, to make life in HK even more comfortable than what it is currently. Removing or reducing language barrier, reducing international school fees or introducing additional resources and other foreign language instructions in the Government aided education system would be a definite plus. Apart from this better opportunities for South Asians who do not speak the

local language would make this place a more attractive destination to settle. Neha and Gaurav are HK PR holders and do plan to take HK citizenship to avail many benefits associated with it, especially visa free entry to many countries, which is a big plus for a businessman like him who travel out of Hong Kong frequently. The Pardeshi family signs off with a wish list which amongst many things, could possibly include steps to address lowering of language barriers coupled with a more friendlier Chinese community, which according to them would make Hong Kong a better place to live.

Garima Singh Marriage brought Garima Singh to Hong Kong 6 years ago. She is happy with all the good experiences that HK had on offer: She loves the food, security, public transport and Government taxation.

Her advise to people thinking of leaving HK, it would be as simple as “Don’t Leave!”, and just in case if she herself has to ever leave, she would be back at the first available opportunity. She loves the countryside and would ideally like to settle in those areas of Hong Kong. Pros – safety, infrastructure, govt, ease of travel, ease of business, fair taxation, best of east and west. Diverse range of experiences in one city from country side to skyscrapers.

Cons – Small houses, high rent. Completely agrees that HK is best of both worlds. It is beautiful and safe. If there was something she could change about HK it would be to lower the rents. While she

is head over heels in love with the HKSAR, they plan to settle with HK PR and not acquire citizenship.

Hardik and Apeksha Mehta Hardik Mehta is living in Hong Kong, since the past 12 years and is very happy to have settled here and found a better life. With a wide experience of travelling and residing in India, Africa, Indonesia and Mainland China, he has a fairly clear view and says, each and every place you live would have its pros and cons, so better to give a thorough thought before leaving HK. If he had a choice, of choosing a place

Mehta family happy at a local HK Diwali gathering

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to stay, apart from Hong Kong, he would love to settle in Australia. While talking about pros, his list includes safety, security and standard of living, whereas language barrier and cost of living tops the concerns on the same list. He wished, if there were extensive resources for immigrant population of Hong Kong, they would have learnt the local language easily and this would have helped them to mingle in the crowd more easily. He along with his family are Hong Kong citizens and are basking in the safe and secure environment for over a decade now.

Ujval and Raina Lodha Work Opportunites was the reason for both coming to and going out of HK for the Lodha family. They moved in from Singapore and now are happily settled in West Coast, USA. In her own words: “I also thought Chinese folks to be not very friendly towards other nationalities especially brown people. I know they treated “gweilos” differently than us. One of the challenges for people migrating to different countries is the language barrier. We faced

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(NHS), I found HK hospitals and care centers provide a comprehensive range of quality services at a very low charge.

Ujval and Raina Lodha, now happily settled in West Coast USA

that too and even though I took up Cantonese lessons and started understanding it somewhat, it was way too hard to for me to speak the language.

The best part of living in HK for me was the convenient transportation option. Anyday, anytime, anywhere – it was so easy to move around. Even though we lived on the HK island, the concrete jungle, but just a train ride away were the mountains and sea and hiking trails serving gorgeous views.

Even thinking of the view of the city from the Peak still gives me goosebumps.

Both my sons, now 13 and 10, were born in HK public hospitals. The virtually free public health system is a great plus for the Hong Kong. Now that we are in the USA, the cost comparison is even more staggering. Based on the UK’s National Health Service

Another plus for HK is its domestic helper laws. It is easy to find household help and that really increases the quality of your life. I miss that now being in the US. Hong Kong spoils you! It does.

After moving to US, we lost the advantage of having a full-time helper and a great public transportation system.

But now in US there is no language barrier as we faced in HK. Also, being in tech sector, we have many more job opportunities here. So basically, every place has its own pros and cons. You lose some, you gain some. If you are willing to adapt, you can find joy in any place.

For now ideal place to settle is USA. With the current political environment in HK, she would be less inclined to go back to HK.

Pros: 1.

Hong Kong

USA

Great public transportation system

No language barrier

2. Full-time household help

More opportunities in the technology sector

3. Proximity to India

Bigger houses More open spaces Friendly people Better overall food quality (Indian groceries)

Cons: Hong Kong

USA

1.

Language

Without car and driving, you cannot do much

2.

Not that many open spaces inside city

No domestic helper visa category Traveling to India takes too long

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The gist of it is that this small island of a world city, definitely lends a remarkable experience of its own to whoever enters it. It is seldom that one comes across a person who has lived in HK for a substantial period of time state that they did not get touched by some aspect of the city be it the incredible energy or vibe, the fast paced life, the striking contrasts of setup with a heady mix of skyscrapers and breathtaking views of the countryside, the incredible infrastructure, the awesome food and the list continues endlessly.

Regardless of wherever they are presently- if out of HKthey will surely miss it, as somewhere the city touches their very core and ensures that it makes a permanent place in their hearts.

For me, HK’s closeness to India would be the highlight.

We could go to India even twice a year when we were there. But now from US, it takes way too much of planning and time and is more costly.

I would say it is the people that makes the place. I think HK people are hardworking and as with other big cities, the combined energy seems to push everyone to do more.

As Aristotle said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”” There are innumerable other families which might not have been covered here or would like to voice their say. Here are some striking statements from some such HK residents.

Ravi and Kavita Gupta The Gupta family, came to HK for work and left for UK over better job opportunites.

They do love it in the UK, for sure, due to big homes, better education and English spoken widely. The major reasons to miss HK is house help and proximity to home.

While the Kapur family is happily settled in HK they have devised a definite exit plan too. Other things hardly matter for them. They would wish their kids to complete their education in Hong Kong and then they would go back home and fulfil responsibilities towards their parents, who have now become old and might need kids to be around.

For such families, HK unrest, post 2047 scenario or HK citizenship would hardly be a

Gupta family (Kavita, Ravi and their daughter Gargi who was born in Hong Kong, now settled in UK

bother, unless it becomes a deterrent for them before their time to exit arrives. For them while they are here in Hong Kong they are having the best time of their lives and living it up.

Another family who moved out of HK after staying in USA, finally went back home.

Till date there are various reasons, HK is missed, but life after all seems to settle down.

A family of 4, who resided in HK as a couple, later brought two beautiful children into this world aided by the excellent public hospital setup, had to move back home due to loss of work, but after waiting to settle for over a year, were back in HK at the first possible opportunity and are happily settled back here in Hong Kong.

A second generation Hong Kong resident, born and raised in HK, got married and inspired her husband to move to Hong Kong. She is a typical mix of Hongkong Desi (blend of both Hong Kong and origin country) as they are casually referred!

She alongwith her daughters hold a British passport and is happily settled in Hong Kong. The husband is very happy with work opportunities offered here and a little space that he has successfully created for themselves in this land of skyscrapers. They do have an option to move to UK, which was an option taken by the spouse during 1997 handover, yet there are no immediate plans to utilize that possibility as of now.

Article by:

Dhruvita Candy, is an avid traveler, writer, who loves spending time with children.

Her passion is to teach English language to kids and make new friends across the globe wherever she travels. If she is not chatting animatedly to one of her friends on the other side of the globe, she can be found digging gleefully into a bar of her favourite dark chocolate.

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Helpless without a

Caregiver?

This Diwali calls for a big treat for your Caregiver's

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ovember is a month dedicated to caregivers. We all know someone who dedicates time and energy to taking care of a loved one, whether they are a friend caring for our grandparent, or even us. Caring for someone is a very special duty that requires patience, love and responsibility. A caregiver is usually very hard to replace because there is a special bond that grows between a senior and their companion.

Read on to recognize the important role of caregiving this November.

Caregivers are special people.

They work hard, but that work goes largely unnoticed by the public. So they rarely receive the credit that they deserve for their hard work. They also tend to give more than they have to give — emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Through research, we are aware that our senior population, that is, those aged 65 years and older, is projected to reach 71.5 million by 2030 in India, hence more or less doubling from the 35.1 million which it was in 2000. This fast growth has increased the need for caregivers in our homes, care facilities, and hospitals.

Therefore, families and individuals who decide to bring a caregiver into their establishment would do well to remember the words of Leo Buscaglia:

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word,

a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."

Caregivers play an essential role in our lives. They may be looked upon as God's blessings, which are sent to us. They are people who support our responsibilities to our children, the feeble and elderly relatives. Frequently, they also help to maintain our homes and attend to other household duties.

By us being fortunate enough to be able to employ both trusting and loving caregivers, this enables us to be free to work in our 'field' and pursue our professions thus contributing to the betterment of all. Therefore, as employers, we must make our caregivers feel that they are important members of society. This, too, I feel, is a higher form of deed that pleases the Almighty.

Helping Caregivers Succeed The daily tasks of taking care of an elderly or ailing person can be very challenging. We can make their work easier with proper communication and management. An extensive support system in the form of family, friends, and other caregivers ensures a safe and thorough job. Make sure you discuss all your needs and expectations,

preferably with a detailed plan.

The plan should also include steps to take in case of an emergency. Caregivers should also learn as much as possible about any illnesses seniors may have, especially common ones such as dementia, and try to personalize their care according to particular needs.

Another important aspect to quality caregiving is making sure that the ones caring for an aging person do not feel alone. Caregiving is often an isolating activity. This is why family and support groups can work wonders in giving strength and emotional support to those who dedicate much of their days to selflessly taking care of others. Caregivers may also find joining a support group or association helpful. Getting tips and inspiration from others will help improve their caregiving overall.

In India, as elsewhere in the world, during the recent "LOCKDOWN", many people panicked without the assistance of either a helper or a carer. When employers became much more cognizant and valued the hard work of these dedicated and loyal humans. Hence, talk and laugh with them, show them your concern for their own needs,

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wants, families and relatives.

Bring light into their lives as Caregivers are: Empathetic Dependable Patient Honest Flexible Knowledgeable Compassionate and sometimes lonely.

Look at their contribution and praise them for their hard work.

You will receive tenfold blessings from the Lord.

Remember, Good deeds begin at home.

Article by: Mrs. Poonam V. Mehta M.Ed.Guidance & Counselling Be the Change President www.bethechangehk.org

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Diwali Happy

to all the readers of

A-Desiflava Magazine

from

Mrs. Purviz R. Shroff MH & Late Mr. Rusy M. Shroff BBS MBE

to all the readers of

A-Desiflava Magazine

from

Mrs. Purviz R. Shroff MH & Late Mr. Rusy M. Shroff BBS MBE

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Indian Diwali without Chinese lights?

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n the night of June 15th, the deadliest clash in 45 years took place between Indian and Chinese troops. The clash occurred in Ladakh’s Galwan valley, not with guns and bullets but instead turned into a nightmare of gore with iron clubs welded with nails, clubs wrapped in barbed wire, sticks, and stones. India reported 20 casualties, and the whole nation immediately spun into a ghastly feeling of loss and horror for the deceased soldiers. India also accused China of intruding and occupying 38,000 sq km of Indian territory.

evening middle-aged Indian news anchors were raging on TV debates dressed up in war paint braying for blood, looking ready to be airdropped on the Indian and Chinese line of actual control.

Some went even further and talked about a nuclear war between the two countries and how US would send nuclear submarines for India’s aid. Soon China became the biggest topic of debate for Indian media, replacing Pakistan which usually came on every night before the Galwan incident.

hate crimes against people from the North East who for the ill-informed have a resemblance to the Chinese.

Some youths from the North East India were attacked in the national capital of Delhi, and were told to go back to China. A roadside Chinese fast food vendor crossed out Chinese from his stall, and pictures of this supposed act of nationalism circulated widely on social media.

It is not hard to see what China has achieved in the past few decades as a manufacturing hub for the Leaving the rabid Indian media whole world. Pick up any aside, among the masses object or gadget that might be Indian media soon took up anti-Chinese sentiment also lying around in front of it and on China as public enemy began to reach a record high. there are 10 out 9 chances number one, and every There began a spate of many that the underside would spell Indian Festivals are dependent on China for cheap festival goods. Source - Pratham Gupta, Unsplash

Would India be able to ditch Diwali's dependence on Chinese exports this season? out the familiar phrase ‘Made in China’. With more than 40% of China’s GDP coming from its industry, it is rightly called “the world’s factory”. There are a number of factors behind this incredible stronghold on manufacturing for the whole world. A lack of regulatory structures make it easier to set up factories and to give lower and lower wages. China and Chinese people have worked hard to reach this spot. Chinese labour working in factories and industries are notoriously overworked.

Every year news reports of catchment nets at Chinese factories to desist workers from committing suicide surface.

What China has achieved as a manufacturing capital of the world is evident in every country of the world.

Wherever you go, France or Australia, USA or India- low cost Chinese products are everywhere. With the Chinese ruling party working hard to maintain its status quo as the top manufacturer in the world, it is outrightly unfeasible to compete with cheap Chinese products in every possible segment.

In India the situation is no different, even India’s

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biggest industrial houses like Reliance depend on importing products from China for their flagship telecom offering Jio. In every shop that you go, there are more and more new Chinese products. The way capital works, there’s not enough motivation to stock higher priced products which would sell less. Rajesh Sabharwal, an Indian stationer in the national capital of Delhi says, “If we buy from Indian manufacturers it would cost us higher. Now suppose you are a person looking for a simple stapler, would you buy one that costs 20 rupees or one that costs 100 rupees?

Both do the exact same job.”

However, there were some negative connotations associated with Chinese products even before the June border clash.

A popular saying about Chinese products is “Na chale to shaam tak, chale to Chand tak”. “Maybe it will last for one evening or maybe it will reach the Moon.”

This captures the quality of low-cost Chinese electronic

items that can maybe last for years or may just stop working after one evening.

Most Chinese products are seen of as a low quality and in some segments Indian alternatives sell better.

However, it is common knowledge that China has the capability to manufacture really high quality components as well, and it depends upon the type of segment and the need. Apple famously sources its iPhones from its Chinese factories, and so does Tesla.

It can be argued well that India entered a new phase in its history after the 2014 general elections and victory of the nationalist Bhartiya Janta Party, ousting 54 years of Congress rule. The underdog Bhartiya Janta Party came on strong after being forced to remain in the sidelines for decades. BJP’s winning formula was appeasing the Hindu majority of the nation accounting for roughly 80% of the votes. Narendra Modi emerged as the leader of a new order in India, one of the most polarising and popular leaders India had ever seen in recent times.

Narendra Modi, the current strong arm popular Prime Minister of India, Source - Prime Minister of India, Wikimedia Commons.

Modi brought in a new wave of saffron nationalism promising to get the majority Hindus’ perceived lost self-respect back. Among other many schemes launched by Modi was Make in India which came into being in 2014. Make in India was an initiative to make Indian manufacturing grow at an annual rate of 12-14% and ease the many regulations that make it harder to set up an industry or business. Make in India was seen as a call to make more and more products in India and assert India’s position as a manufacturing hub in the world.

However, many criticise Make in India as a failed initiative

Decoding the Made in China phenomenon. Source - Markus Winkler, Unsplash

that couldn’t deliver on what it promised. According to many economists the introduction of two controversial moves by the strong arm Modi government supposedly broke the back of Indian economy.

One was demonetization and the other was the introduction of a new Goods and Services Tax. The most major losses were reported in the unorganised labour markets in the aftermath of both the moves. The recent economic slump because of Covid-19 virus further increased India’s woes and led to thousands of migrant labours getting stranded in the streets, trying to reach their home state in the absence of public transport.

China plays a big role in all the Indian festivals with Chinese imports topping the list of all the festival paraphernalia.

For example, on the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, many Ganesh idols these days come from China. Similarly, on the Hindu festival of Holi, a majority of the colours come from China as well.

Chinese manjha or thread has replaced the elaborate Indian handmade thread for flying kites on the fertility festival of Basant Panchmi.

Likewise on the Indian festival of lights Diwali Chinese rice lights are used widely all over India. Diwali is one of the major festivals in India, which celebrates the homecoming of King Ram, a hero of myths and revered as one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu, who is part of the holy trinity of Hinduism. Diwali, a winter season festival is much like the Christmas of India, with people spending huge amounts of money on clothes, lamps, gifts, utensils in a series of festivities.

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At the end of June, Narendra Modi led central government put a ban on 59 Chinese Apps

Would India be able to replace China as a manufacturing hub anytime soon? Source - Chuttersnap, Unsplash

I remember the pre-Chinese-ricelights era as a kid, every year before Diwali my father would pull out a huge coil of 30 metre long wires from the trunk, then painstakingly he would place the wire with holders over the edge of our terrace.

After that he would take out small boxes of coloured zero watt filament bulbs - the size of a lemon and put them on all the holders. Every year many bulbs would fuse, break or go missing, resulting in dead spots on our terrace. Eventually my father also gave way to the lure of Chinese rice lights and bought home two bundles of rice lights for 200 rupees each, shortening his time of putting up the lights by hours. As a kid they were exciting to me, with a button I could change the order in which they lit up and blinked.

However, the rice lights just worked for a season or two

and would go bad pretty soon.

I also heard reports of people getting shocked by the rice lights when the low quality rubber coating on the wires disintegrated because of use.

Right now it is hard to imagine any significant challenger to Chinese rice lights in this season’s Diwali as I see it now.

Nikhil Jain, an IIT graduate turned business owner says, “I don’t see people celebrating Diwali without China rice lights(sic) this year.”

In Delhi’s Lajpat Rai Market, the capital’s biggest electronics market situated in proximity of the Red Fort, Anirudh Trivedi a trader of lights says, “See, when it comes to traditional Diwali implements like candle and earthen lamps, they were never in competition with electronic lights. People buy both. People will buy Diyas (earthen lamps) on Diwali and people will buy rice lights. I have been selling electronic and electrical lights for the last 20 years here. I don’t think anything is going to change this year. Ninety percent on my lights come from China. It is not just about rice lights. Electronic diyas, flashing bulbs, LED bulbs what not is coming from China?(sic).”

(most of them for Android phones) as retaliation for Chinese aggression, a move which was hailed as a digital surgical strike by the Indian media.

Many young Indian users were shocked especially the users of TikTok, an app which has taken the world by a storm and had a strong cult following in India too. September saw the Modi government banning 118 more apps including PUBG an online multiplayer game which used to be the heartthrob of millions of young Indians.

The hate against Chinese products continues to rise, but it is not hard to see that it would be very hard to shake India’s dependence on Chinese products.

Despite the jingoistic show of banning Chinese apps reports came out that Modi government took two loans totalling 9,202 crores from a Chinese government backed bank called AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) in June. Even when India has banned a lot of mobile apps, India is one of the biggest markets for Chinese smartphone manufacturers like Xiaomi, One Plus, Oppo,

Vivo etc. who continue to do business unabated in India. In fact brands like Xiaomi enjoy steadfast loyalty from Indians and was never called out, even at the peak of the antiChinese sentiment.

Even when the rice lights sector is mostly dominated by small segment players and there are no big names involved, there’s little likelihood of a ban or lash back from India consumers. Premu, an Indian consumer opines, “Ab jo market mein milega wohi khareedenge na?”. “Now what can a consumer do? We can just buy what is available locally in the market.”

Right now it is hard to see Chinese products or manufacturers facing even a slight competition from their Indian counterparts.

Chinese dominance on world’s manufacturing has come with a heavy cost, especially of its environment. The bigger question is, is India ready for such a sacrifice?

Article by:

Ronak Singh Bhasin is a poet, filmmaker, writer based in New Delhi. When he is not banging around verses on his old typewriter, he is busy documenting the streets of Delhi with his analogue camera.

A-Desiflava Magazine The journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step – Lao Tzu

I

nspired on similar lines, A-Desiflava Magazine, completed 10 wonderful years of its existence in the hearts of South-Asians here @Hong Kong! Yes, the journey was full of ups and downs, we learnt a lot, gained a lot, made new friendships and along the way lost company of few people, but that has made us what we are TODAY! We began with a humble beginning in a small roof-top office in Hunghom which was fired with huge dreams and aspirations which marked the inception of the journey that marks the beginning of the 10th glory filled year in November 2020. Bringing a magazine exclusively for South Asians marked the birth of A-Desiflava Magazine.

The idea was discussed and they decided to bring it forth to the Hong Kong based South Asians, who needed a magazine that exclusively belonged to them, which kept them updated with the local happenings and also have a flavor of news and people back home. After some editions, a need for the

presence to be felt among the Hong Kong South Asian community arose. That is when A-Desiflava Magazine started doing events like Live Cricket matches, Annual Navratri celebrations, Holi Rain Dance parties every year back on back.

It is truly a proud yet emotional moment for us, as we complete 10 Years since we first started. Its been a roller-coaster ride but we managed.

10 Years running

A-Desiflava Magazine

7 Years organizing Navratri Utsav Live Performance Event

5 Years organizing

Box Cricket Tournament Aamchi Mumbai Restaurant (Which unfortunately does not exist anymore) We consider these as giving back to our country, community and society in

10 years and

counting….

Hong Kong and the good part is that we are still going strong, steady and unstoppable.

and associates who have ably supported our small effort towards enriching the lives of South Asian Hong Kongers.

Here are some well-wishers, who have seen this journey through the years of A-Desiflava Magazine’s existence. On embarking its 10nth year journey, they took this opportunity to go down the memory lane, and pen some emotional messages for the magazine which has been a cornerstone of the South Asia diaspora in Hong Kong and has steadfastly stood by them for a decade.

Thank you once again everyone, for your tremendous support and love.

In conclusion, we are overwhelmed by the love, affection and wonderful wishes that have come our way through various quarters.

Whilst it has been a privilege to be part of the South Asian community in Hong Kong, we cherish this journey as much as the fact that we got an opportunity to serve the diaspora in HK. While looking back with admiration and joy, we also look forward to the coming years with a lot of hope to make this journey hand in hand with our readers

Gaurav Pardeshi & Neha Pathak (Founders of A-Desiflava Magazine)

.

Heartiest Congratulations!

It gives me great pleasure to be able to congratulate the A-Desiflava Magazine for reaching the milestone of its 10 years anniversary celebration. . In the past decade it has successfully reached its goals of publishing a magazine and reaching out to the South East Asian community.

A-Desiflava Magazine was founded by Mr and Mrs Gaurav Pardeshi and my association with the periodical, also, began 10 years ago., not with the first but with the second issue of the publication. We all meet for a reason and I guess it was predestined by the universe, for me, to be part of this special venture. My contribution to the magazine on various topics is well received.

For Gaurav and Neha the journey has been challenging, and blissful. Their unshakeable courage and confidence as well as their faith in the Almighty has helped them to move forward with hope and foresight and to witness the success that the Magazine has now achieved.

I have been privileged to have been invited, as chief guest, to their Navratri functions, In addition, families at ‘Be the Change' (BTC) have been fortunate to have been invited, also, to celebrate and participate in this yearly function. They have given over 100 complimentary tickets to the (BTC) to join the function with love and compassion.

It has brought immense joy to families and students for which we are truly grateful.

So, here's to the next ten years. We all wish the magazine good luck as it grows and prospers, Thank you, Mr and Mrs Gaurav, for your love and enterprise it is treasured and received with gratitude to the Lord. Best wishes for all your future endeavors.

Poonam Mehta President, M.Ed. Education & Counselling.

Be the Change HK Ltd.

"My heartiest congratulations to Gaurav and Neha for A-Desiflava Magazine completing a decade in circulation. The magazine is a rich resource for all things South Asian and helps bind the diaspora from the subcontinent in it's own unique way. I wish you and the team the very best in all your endeavours.

Congratulations to team A-Desiflava Magazine on your 10th anniversary.

Pearly Chhabra Pearly is an accredited and internationally published makeup and hair artist. Her association with A-Desiflava Magazine goes back almost 2 years where she contributed as a beauty columnist, writing on everything from hair and makeup to nails and she collaborated on events.”

Mr.Ricky Chu conveys his sentiments on your 10th anniversary, “Publications such as A-Desiflava play a very important role in keeping people living away from home connected with their own country. They also provide a good platform for communities to come together and for public bodies like us to reach them. We wish you the very best and much success going ahead.”

Mr. Ricky Chu Chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission, Hong Kong

I believe the Commission’s association with the magazine goes back nine years at the very least. A-Desi-flava was an interesting addition to the media scene for South Asians in Hong Kong. As a lifestyle magazine that managed to stay local while at the same time bringing India a little closer for the South Asian diaspora, A-Desiflava filled a much-needed gap.

The Equal Opportunities Commission was looking for ways to reach the ethnic minorities, South Asians included, to provide information on the anti-discrimination laws and educate them about their rights. A-Desiflava was the right vehicle for us.

I look back with fondness at our association. The magazine has been very accommodating of our needs and has helped us greatly with our public education efforts. We even had a Q&A column going for over a year where readers could send in their questions about discrimination and the Commission would respond. …..And miles to go before I sleep – Robert frost Niru Vishwanath Equality Advocate; Policy Adviser; Trainer Officer, Equal Opportunities Commission of Hong Kong Ethnic Minorities Unit Dhruvita who was amongst the first few to join the initiative, goes down the memory lane, “I still remember the first meeting with both Gaurav and Neha at our Caribbean Coast club house, and the sheer joy of my dream coming true when Gaurav offered me to work with his new venture, a magazine exclusively for the community, it connected a chord which inspired me to join and commute from Tung Chung to Hunghom for work and doing almost everything between the two of us (me and Neha)!”

Dhruvita a teacher, Freelance writer and an avid traveler further adds, “A huge pat on your back to stand strong and make your presence felt in these 10 rocking years which have passed by since we worked together. May I get the opportunity to wish you for the 15th 25th and many more anniversaries of A-Desiflava Magazine. I would like to take this opportunity to wish the very best to Neha & Gaurav. Be ever energetic and spread the good cheer as always.”

It always seems impossible unless it is done – Nelson Mandela Dhruvita Candy Guest Writer & Teacher

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Different faces of A-Desiflava

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a Magazine

over the years

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FOLLOWING PASSION WITH YOUR DAYTIME JOB SOUNDS QUIRKY?

A street keysmith observing patterns in the key.

Captured by: Mrin Shrivastava on Voigtlander vintage 58mm, F1.4 manual focus lens.

Find out how this vicenarian guy along with others is rolling the shutter to beat the stress.

W

e are all passionate about something in our lives.

Sometimes our passion makes us do crazy stuff, while at times, it becomes an amazing way of relaxation.

Either way, it makes us a better soul and our lives mentally stable.

Photography is one such passion. We see people leaving their jobs to become a Photographer or YouTuber. As a matter of fact, innumerable prominent photographers across the world are Engineers or Management graduates. And yes, Hong Kong is no different!

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A few are so impassionate, that they just wanna head out and shoot. To keep the fire blazing, a group of ardent, amateur and professional photographers (from Hong Kong and Sydney) coming from different walks of life joined hands, giving birth to the Creative Photography Club, Hong Kong. They are the ones with a day time job, but bitten by a shutter-bug.

If not working, they can be found clicking on the streets across you, at events, or at places of cultural significance, preserving precious moments behind the lens.

Not too long ago, they found a professional yet zealous guy, who like them had a knack and vigor to play with lights and lenses. The guy was warmly welcomed and invited to their Photowalks.

Eventually after noticing his forte and flair towards the art of Photography. He was then offered to step into the shoes of an organizer, making him

Some photowalks are meant to capture the interesting colors of Hong Kong. Rainbow building in Choi Hung, captured by Mrin Shrivastava.

the Youngest Professional Organizer for any photography club in the entire Hong Kong.

Meet Mrinmaya Shrivastava aka Mrin, a professional

photographer (cinematic, candid, events etc are his forte) based in Hong Kong. During daytime he wears the hat of a Digital

Yellow spills. The interesting thing to note here is the color matching between the sideline of the road and the sports car from Audi. Captured by Mrin Shrivastava in Sai Yung Pin, Hong Kong.

Transformation and Automation Consultant for a global Telco giant. The bug bit him long back in 2014, when he got his first professional DSLR, after using Sony Ericsson cybershots and Canon point and shoots.

He has been a professional photographer for the better part of the last decade.

He clicks with a unique perspective, his genres involve people and street photography and he has been a part of varied events and solo trips for his paid and unpaid personal projects.

This weekend he conducted his first Photowalk based on a truly unique concept.

Upon talking to him, he shared his idea behind this Photowalk and choosing the theme. He said that he had always wanted to conduct Photowalks, not only to learn from a diverse set of people, but also to

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One of the 36 shots captured by Mahesh Jadhav during the photowalk conducted by Mrin.

share his experience and cognizance with them. The theme conceptualized was “36 Frames – Redefining Photography”. The idea was simple yet challenging, because the participants were virtual limited to only 36 shots. The thought behind, was that in today’s digital era, we don’t care about storage and just keep on clicking (like an AK-47). Resulting in useless shots, which ends up in a trash, and taking up the useful space. With this restriction, our mind works like a Sniper, where each bullet matters. We ensure that the composition is right, the frame is relevant, the colors are vivid, the light is ambient and much more, and then only hit the shutter. This triggers our mind to focus strictly on the important and relevant pictures, rather than merely piling up our hard drive.

This has been a continental Photowalk in its true essence, with people from over 9 countries coming together and sharing their experiences.

Post the photowalk, Mahesh a professional photographer for 10 years, told us how he was about to take a fantastic shot, but took a pause (the limit, remember). He said the shot was amazing, yet it lacked an element of uniqueness. So, he waited and waited for the right moment, anticipated the action, and then boom a marvelous moment was captured.

A fascinating aspect of the Photowalk, was the plethoric range of Cameras in action, eldest of the lot was a 1965 Yashica 24, while another was a 55 year younger 2020 Fuji XT-4. The age groups of the participants covered the people in their 20s to a few retired folks. Mrin, the Khoa, with his vintage Medium format 1965 Yashika 24, capable of producing BNW or colored pictures.

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Article by:

Portrayal of streets of Hong Kong had the the pandemic occurred in 1950s. Shot on a lens introduced in the 1950s and to prominently highlight the vintage look. Captured & edited by Mrin Shrivastava.

organizer, recalls this as an exciting yet insightful day, when everyone was content on stepping out post lockdown for such a thing, and impressed with the learnings on the tricks of the shutter. Post the photowalk they all gathered at a Café for chitchat and to critique

their work in a constructive manner. Peculiarly, the organizer of this Photowalk is an Indian, with a couple Indian and South Asian participants.

Mia from Japan, even wishes to imbibe this in her daily life. Tim, a European told us that he never expected a

Photowalk to be so fun and engaging.

You are invited to join your next Photowalk with “Creative Photography Club” with open hearts, you’ll be part of a crazy gang shooting over a weekend with camera in their hands, and smile on their face.

Few happy faces from the Photowalk, who met in Habitu Café in Causeway Bay. Order from L2R - Anthony, Natalie, Mark, Vivian, Mrin (the organizer), Kelly, Chandni, Khoa, Mahesh, Ram & Shashank.

Mrinmaya is a Photographer, Storyteller, Traveler, Geek, Blogger and a Digital Transformation consultant. In his free time, he can be found capturing in some or the other part of the world, or guiding people on choosing their next gadget.

Follow Mrinmaya aka Mrin to know more about him and upcoming Photowalks: @mrinmaya.9 or https:// www.instagram.com/ mrinmaya.9/ @mrinmaya.photography or https://www.fb.com/ mrinmaya.photography/ Also you can reach out on msclicks9@gmail.com for querying the photowalks or free workshops.

PS: The Creative Photography Club was started by people from Australian and HK origin, previously staying in Hong Kong, Sydney, or Canada. They currently have 8 organizers (4 are local, 1 Indian). The Club gets frequently co-sponsored by Tin Cheung Camera Company and others for their events.

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How is

Covid-19 Affecting Women

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he Covid-19 pandemic has upended our lives in several ways. Many questions about whether life will ever go back to what it was before the pandemic.

One of the most significant changes that came about was in the way we work.

With lockdowns and social distancing measures, several offices have implemented the work-from-home

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arrangement. While many find it hard to follow, others would wish it to continue even beyond the pandemic. Has it impacted women differently from men? Has it been better or worse for women?

It has been noted over the last few months that the pandemic and its resulting lockdowns and work-fromhome arrangements have led to an increase in domestic violence and abuse against women. The UN has described the worldwide increase in domestic abuse as a "shadow pandemic" alongside Covid-19.

It is thought cases have increased by 20% during the lockdown, as many people are trapped at home with their abuser and have limited access to help.

Hong Kong has been no different. RTHK news reported in May this year that the Federation of Women’s Centres recorded a surge in domestic violence cases during the coronavirus pandemic, with 34 victims seeking the Federation's help from January to March, compared to just 16 cases over the same period last year. In all likelihood, this number does not reflect the true picture as most cases

of domestic violence go unreported.

While that is a negative outcome, there have also been some advantages for women from the new work arrangements. Given that the burden of care is disproportionately higher on women, having a flexible work arrangement allows them to better juggle their work and caregiving roles. By reducing stress and helping achieve balance, flexible working arrangements can help women succeed at their work.

Also, “performance over presence” is seen as a positive outcome of the forced shift in working formats. At a recent webinar co-organized by the Equal Opportunities Commission and Feliz Consulting on Equality at Work and What Has Changed with Covid-19, Nina Atimah, Regional Head of Risk Management at HSBC Hong Kong, agreed and said that people seem to be getting more credit for their work without factors such as gender, race, etc. coming into play.

One, however, needs to be cautious in arriving at a judgment. Flexible working arrangements

are still very new to many organizations, particularly in Hong Kong, which has a strong “presenteeism” culture. It is early to say if these arrangements will ultimately work to the benefit or detriment of women. As Fiona Nott from The Women’s Foundation TWF) says in the 22 July TWF newsletter, “Many organizations have adopted a partial WFH policy, whereby a portion of employees work remotely and a portion remain in the office. Because of care responsibilities, women are more likely to be among those working from home. They may miss out on crucial informal conversations that take place in the office, and there are

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concerns around whether being seen at work will confer greater status and privilege going forward.”

In these uncertain conditions, all we can say is the government, employers, public services, and civil society need to be mindful of the secondary fallout from virus containment measures, which can impact one section of society more than others, such as women. Gender equality should continue to be a principle all stakeholders keep sight of and bear in mind while formulating and implementing measures to beat the virus that has changed the way we live – for the present, at least.

Article by: Niru Vishwanath Equal Opportunities Commission If you need information regarding your rights under Hong Kong’s anti-discrimination ordinances and the EOC's complaint handling procedures, please contact: Equal Opportunities Commission 16/F 41 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong Hotline: 25118211 • Email: eoc@eoc.org.hk Website: www.eoc.org.hk Office hours: Monday to Friday from 8:45 am to 5:45 pm

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The

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hy burn a hole in your pockets by buying expensive, branded smartwatches when a similarly apt smartwatch can do a better job amidst this covid-19 pandemic all over the world?

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products, recently announced the launch of a stunning new smart wearable with an AMOLED display and IP67 water and dust-proofing.

This creatively engineered smartwatch features immunity monitoring, health and sports tracking, phone notifications, and much more.

"At Voltmi, we are passionate about introducing low-cost smart electronics to improve people’s lives. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we realized how important it is to continuously measure our health parameters and get constant feedback on our body's immunity levels. After having supplied millions of temperature measurement guns and oximeters to our buyers, we identified that one of the biggest problems is that every individual requires nonstop and continuous health and immunity monitoring.

How about an immunity monitoring doctor who walks with you all the time?

Instead of getting touched and measured by different

B R A N K

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hands and devices from time to time, why not have your personal daily-use wearable that can do the combined work of a temperature gun and an oximeter? To add up and make the device smarter, our engineering team added additional blood pressure features, heart rate, and immunity % in the device, and we named it Dr.Senor.

Now, you can Stay healthmonitored, connected, and stylish in this new era with Dr.senor Smart Immunity Monitoring Watch."

Gaurav Pardeshi, CEO ALPS Enterprises (Brand owners of Voltmi)

Dr.Senor is a next-generation smartwatch that combines timeless craftsmanship with Cutting-edge health and wellness features. It provides you with real-time measurements of Body Temperature, Blood Pressure (mmHg), Body Oxygen Level (SPO2), Heart Rate (BPM) and Immunity Level to keep your vital health parameters monitored all the time.

24x7 monitoring and alarming you all the time.Dr.Senor, together with Wearfit2.0, not only helps you smartly monitor your immunity, but it also allows you to control all the multimedia features of your new smart immunity monitoring friend.

Wearfit2.0 Appl available on Android & iOS smartly sync's with Dr.Senor to closely monitor all the vital stats on your smartphone on a real-time basis and keeps a history of hourly, daily, and monthly measurements of your health parameters.

You can also share all the measurements with your distant loved ones or your family doctor to let them know that you now have a doctor

More powerful features make living a healthier life easy.

Dr.Senor is a full-featured sports and exercise tracker with an accelerometer and high-precision heart sensor.

It uses eight sport modes to monitor workout metrics, including calories, steps, distance, sleep cycles, and sports performance. It’s made for modern active lifestyles and can help you achieve your fitness goals.

In addition to its practical features, Dr.Senor watch just simply looks great. It’s crafted with a Super AMOLED Display, which allows for faster reaction speeds and a higher contrast level to deliver a more detailed and more explicit display.

T A L K

Dr.Senor is built with colorful metal outer frames making them stylish, robust, resistant, and durable. It comes in 3 stunning colors Rose Gold, Black & Silver, to go with every type of personality, and each package consists of a complimentary belt strap to go with every mood and aesthetic appearance of yours. Alongside a free belt strap, we have also included a complimentary screen guard for complete round the clock protection for your doctor.

Its IP67 Waterproof and Dustproof making helps with a carefree and uninterrupted usage underwater up to one meter, heavy rains, and daily household work.

For those accustomed to small, square smartwatches, Dr.Senor comes as a perfect package of being the most affordable, stylish, and a unique need of the hour.

For trade inquiries and order, please visit: wwww.voltmi.com

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K I D S

C O N T E S T

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Please send your entries in the form of a photo or scanned pdf to gp@aplomhk.com and put the

subject line as 'Contest

Entry Adesiflava Nov-Dec Issue'.

The First 3 correct entries will each receive a

Voltmi Dr. Senor Immunity Monitoring Smart Watch.

We will announce 3 winners for the adults' section and 3 winners for Kids section.

A D U LT

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Sudoku Level

Medium

Find the two identical images in each row.

C O N T E S T

39

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A i r line m o r f to

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