Louis recalls that 27 years ago, when he first came to Garden Estate for a job interview, he was deeply impressed by the environment here. “Ngau Tau Kok Road is bustling with people, but when you walk up the slope along Garden Estate, you can feel the tranquility,” he said. When he was busy at work, he would occasionally take a stroll along the slope outside Yin Chee Lau during lunch breaks to enjoy the scenery. “At the time, there weren’t many commercial buildings around, the view was stunning.”

After years of working in the community, Louis believes that community-based services require a profound understanding of the community. Not only does he lead by example, he also frequently encourages his colleagues to step out of the office and start connecting. “Only by going out you can know what is happening in the community. While observation is crucial, personal experience is also indispensable. Engaging in conversations with neighbours is the only way to genuinely understand the challenges they face.” For more than half a century, KTMSS and Garden Estate have undergone significant transformation together. They started by providing youth and labour services with the support of Methodist Church, later expanding family and social adaptation services in response to the marriage boom in China and Hong Kong in the 1980s and 1990s. In recent years, they have increased their elderly services to address the aging population. To gain insight into the post-epidemic situation, the team proactively reached out to the community. For example, many elderly have been reluctant to go out after the epidemic. KTMSS provided physical and mental support at their doorsteps, ensuring they were “bought back into the fold!”