About $13 million in grants for 15 social enterprise projects promoting self-reliance for disadvantaged groups have been approved in the second phase of the Enhancing Self-Reliance Through District Partnership Programme.

Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing told the Legislative Council today the Government has approved 15 of 52 applications, each project getting an average grant of $900,000.

Most projects involved catering, recycling, massage, performing arts or productions, and organic farming. They will provide 280 jobs in 13 districts.

Unsuccessful applications failed mainly because they focused too much on training, provided services rather than business, or were unviable or unsustainable.

The programme has provided $50 million grants to over 50 social enterprise projects since its 2006 inception. Twenty-nine of them are being conducted in districts where poverty is more serious, including Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong, Tuen Mun and Yuen Long.

The Government will hold a summit on December 20 at the International Trade & Exhibition Centre. It will provide a platform for different sectors, such as academia, the business and the public sectors, to explore together the way forward for social enterprise development.