Cho Kai Kai, one of the founders of Ma Po Po Community Farm, hopes to provide an alternative way of life to Hong Kong society. In 2007, Cho started her studies at Baptist University and majoring in geography. She was attracted by the natural environment and the way of self-sufficient life during her field trip to Ma Shi Po village in Fan Ling in 2009. In the same year, she participated in the protest of anti-rail project in Choi Yuen Village and met Becky Au Hei-man, who is the villager of Ma Shi Po village. They found that the problems of development and constructions in rural area became more and more acute. Hence they decided to set up ‘Ma Po Po Community Farm’, in order to protect the village from the constructions and promote the farm and agriculture in Hong Kong.
Cho’s interests and concern about the society was cultivated during her secondary school life. She recognized the term, ‘social justice’ when she was a junior form student. Later, she had more understanding of the term from the report of media to participate in social movements. She knew more about the injustice in the society. Due to the matter of injustice of developers, Cho left her home in Tseung Kwan O and move to North East New Territories so as to protect the places that she loved.
When Cho graduated from university, she joined the social movements as her career. She does not only concern about the development of North East New Territories, but also thinks about and reflects on the sustainable development of Hong Kong. Therefore, she joins the establishment of Ma Po Po Community Farm and hopes to promote the practice of sustainable agriculture and life as an alternatives to Hong Kong community.
Written by Chan Tsz Lam