Domestic workers’ team to join 100km Trailwalker event

Four Filipino domestic workers have formed a team to challenge each other to complete the 100-kilometer MacLehose Trail within 48 hours in November.

Aleli, aged 38, who has been working in Hong Kong for 14 years, started hiking in the city four years ago, Apple Daily reported.

Aleli later got to know Marian, Beverly and Bernadette, who all love hiking. The four women decided to form a team called “Maid of Heart And Sole” in August to take part in the Oxfam Trailwalker, a fundraising sporting event to support poverty alleviation and emergency relief projects in Africa and Asia.

Participants have to complete the MacLehose Trail, a 100km country park hiking trail that starts at Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung in the east of the New Territories and ends at Tuen Mun in the west of the Territories, within 48 hours.

Aleli said she was very glad that her employer is very supportive and sponsored their team, adding that her employer cared about her physical condition after every training and had begun to give her more rest time.

As the oldest teammate, Marian, 43, said she did not worry about her ability as she has loved running and outdoor activities since she was young. She said she goes hiking every Sunday and does an hour’s physical training every day.

Beverly is a nature lover, who went to different beaches on Lantau Island to help clean up in the summer after the palm oil spill occurred. She also joined various groups that helped clean up the country parks during her holidays.

Bernadette, meanwhile, said the team also wanted to send a message to the public that domestic workers not only do housework but can also make contributions to the community.

Raymond Lo from the hiking group Hong Kong Hiking Meetup said all four members had excellent physical strength and he believed that they could finish the race in 26 hours, Ming Pao Daily reported.