‘I had planned to stay for life’: last villagers prepare to leave Cha Kwo Ling
Nestled within thick, verdant foliage in Cha Kwo Ling is one of Hong Kong’s last squatter settlements, where a handful of remaining residents are staying until a government deadline to move out for redevelopment of the area for public housing. Mrs Lam, one of the last villagers living among the juxtaposition of makeshift metal dwellings and stone houses complete with wooden window frames, said…
In the verdant landscape of Cha Kwo Ling, one of Hong Kong's remaining squatter settlements, a small group of residents are set to relocate as part of the government's redevelopment plan for public housing. Mrs. Lam, a resident in her sixties, is one of the last villagers left. She has until August 25 to pack her belongings and move out, stating that she had planned to stay for life.
Her medicinal herbs, which she inherited and dried for income, will be a loss as she won't have space for them in her new housing. Despite her disappointment, Lam still receives government compensation for her forced relocation. Meanwhile, Ng Po-wo, owner of Mau Fat Teahouse, hasn't received any compensation despite living in the village since 1953.
He sees himself as one of the last original settlers and misses the close-knit community that once thrived. Meanwhile, Rita Law and her friends visited the village to bid farewell to a piece of Hong Kong's history, expressing the desire to preserve unique elements of the city.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
