J Life Foundation Hong Kong

J Life Foundation tackles poverty and environmental waste in Hong Kong through community programs. Its Cycling Tomorrow program recycles abandoned bicycles and provides vocational training for underprivileged women and youth. After receiving a dedicated venue supported by the Goodman Foundation, the enterprise moved off the streets and began to scale.

• Cycling Tomorrow combines environmental protection with vocational training, empowering underprivileged women and youth to refurbish abandoned bicycles
• A long-term, dedicated training centre provided by the Goodman Foundation has allowed the J Life Foundation to house its daily operations and conduct regular vocational training
• This year, J Life Foundation was able to refurbish 514 bicycles and train 40 underprivileged women and 10 youth.

Cycling towards a sustainable future
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Income inequality remains a persistent issue in Hong Kong, where over 24 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line. 

The pandemic hit Hong Kong hard, and bouncing back has proved difficult. Years later, food insecurity and unemployment remain pressing challenges for many of Hong Kong’s residents, while environmental challenges in the city are growing.
Hong Kong is seeing increased numbers of abandoned bicycles filling its landfills. 

Local social enterprise J Life Foundation is addressing the dual challenges of poverty and waste in Hong Kong through a circular economy model. 

Its food rescue and food redistribution service helps residents facing food insecurity, while the Foundation’s Cycling Tomorrow program recycles abandoned bicycles and provides vocational training to underprivileged women and youth, so they can complete the repairs.

Space for humanity 
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Securing affordable, stable warehouse space is incredibly difficult for many social enterprises in Hong Kong. 

Until a year ago, Cycling Tomorrow faced significant challenges with venue availability. The long wait for government owned sites meant its technicians were often forced to work on the streets. 

The Goodman Foundation provided a solution through a long-term, dedicated venue for Cycling Tomorrow. The Foundation also assisted J Life with its food distribution, supporting it to serve over 360,000 food packs and 19,200 hot meals to families and the elderly this year. Now, the social enterprise can house its daily operations, store inventory, and conduct regular vocational training. 

Stability has already allowed Cycling Tomorrow to scale, with the J Life Foundation refurbishing 514 bicycles and training 40 underprivileged women and 10 youth in a single year. While selling the bikes supports J Life Foundation’s work, there’s another spin off effect – the project also promotes sustainable transport in this densely packed city.

Beyond financial support
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While Cycling Tomorrow is addressing explicit problems–unemployment and sustainability–it’s also creating real change for those involved in the vocational training. 

For one participant, a formerly reclusive teenager with autism, Cycling Tomorrow training provided a sense of purpose. They are now on their way to becoming a teacher’s assistant. For others, the vocational training has helped rebuild their inner confidence, a shift that helps both the participants and their families.