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Alia Eyres may be a mother of five, but it’s her role as the CEO of renowned local charity <a href="https://www.motherschoice.org/en/">Mother’s Choice</a> that sees her embrace the larger community as her family&#8230;
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Having looked on as your parents masterminded Mother’s Choice, were you always destined for a career in charity?
Being around my parents and their friends – the co-founders of Mother’s Choice – definitely had a huge impact on me and my younger siblings. Growing up, I saw my parents and their friends pouring their hearts and souls into this charity, committed to helping children and young women who didn’t have any support system, while doing their level best to give back to a city they had come to call home. It showed me the true worth of generosity, the value of kindness and the importance of family.&nbsp;
You were a corporate lawyer before you joined Mother’s Choice – why the switch?
Well, I had been practicing corporate law for quite some time, but, alongside that, I had been volunteering at Mother’s Choice since I was nine years old. Despite that, I’d never contemplated working there full-time. Around the time that they started looking for a new chief executive, though, I remember sitting in a coffee shop near my then-office and I opened the newspaper and saw the ad for the role. It was as if a light bulb went off in my head. I suddenly realised that this was what I wanted to do with my life.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-45196" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_C_opt.jpg" alt="Alia Eyres" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_C_opt.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_C_opt-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_C_opt-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_C_opt-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_C_opt-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" />
How has your experience as a lawyer helped you in your role as chief executive?
Having a background in justice and knowing how the law works have been incredibly helpful. Two of my other siblings are also lawyers in Hong Kong and experts in family law. We firmly believe that understanding the law and how the legal system works really help to make sense of how our society works overall. Many of the young women and children we work with have very real legal concerns and need someone to be their voice when it comes to seeking justice. My background means I can be that voice. 
What are the key areas where Mother’s Choice can help out?
Mother’s Choice is a local charity and we work very closely with the wider community, partnering with hundreds of volunteers every week to change lives and bring hope. We do that by providing services for babies and children, and for young women who have no familial support.&nbsp;We also work with young people who are experiencing crisis pregnancies or youth in foster care, and operate foster programmes via local schools and community education services. &nbsp;
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-45202" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/700x466-People1_B_opt.jpg" alt="Alia Eyres" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/700x466-People1_B_opt.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/700x466-People1_B_opt-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/700x466-People1_B_opt-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/700x466-People1_B_opt-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/700x466-People1_B_opt-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/700x466-People1_B_opt-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/700x466-People1_B_opt-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Since becoming chief executive in 2012, what has made you most proud? 
After being in my post for seven years now, I can say I’m proudest of Project Bridge – an innovative programme designed to improve the traditional foster care system. Essentially, it connects nurturing volunteer families to children in need of temporary care. Our volunteer Bridge Families provide these children with a safe and loving family environment, giving them the opportunity to build trust, to develop their sense of identity, despite any crises that may have disrupted their birth homes.&nbsp;
And what have been the most challenging aspects of the role?
It’s fair to say it’s not an easy job. Every day we hear the most heart-wrenching stories – a newborn baby abandoned in a trash can, a 14-year-old girl who has been abused and raped or a family that has been torn apart. These are incredibly difficult stories to get your head around, but the good thing is I now know there’s hope for everyone. Each one of us gets a second chance. There’s no such thing as a hopeless case. There’s hope that everyone can have a good future, there’s&nbsp;hope for every baby, every girl and every family. I say that because we’ve seen true miracles happen. Even though it is a hard job, I have to tell you I have become a far more hopeful person than I was in the past. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-45199" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_F_opt.jpg" alt="Alia Eyres" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_F_opt.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_F_opt-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_F_opt-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_F_opt-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/466x700-People1_F_opt-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" />
How do you ensure that the children have a seamless transition when they’re adopted?
Our preparatory work focusses on the two key parties – the adoptive families and the children who they are taking on board. In the case of the families, we hold their hands every step of the way, making sure they are fully aware of the needs of the child, the legal side of things and so on. We have hundreds of volunteers, social workers and lawyers all working together so that they are well prepared for their forever homes. We also have nurses, doctors and therapists, who come in to check that their medical needs are being met so that they have a better chance of finding a new home. 
How open is modern-day Hong Kong to adoption?
In the 32 years since we started, I’ve seen Hong Kong really open up to the idea of adoption and we’re so grateful for that. In the future, we would like to see people being more willing to open their homes and their hearts to children with special needs and older kids. Every child, no matter their age or condition, deserves to be part of a loving family. 
Thank you.
Interview by: <a href="mailto:suchetana@itotalmedia.com">Suchetana Mukhopadhyay</a> 
Photos: Jack Law &nbsp; 
Art Direction: San Wong&nbsp; &nbsp; 
Make-up and Hair: Irene Hung &nbsp; 
Venue: Mother&#8217;s Choice
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Eyres and Graces: Alia Eyres CEO of the Mother’s Choice charity