Letter From Our Founder and CEO
Shalini Mahtani

I hope you are well and thank you for your support. Every year as we compile this report, we review the impact of each of our projects, and I am reminded of the suffering we see and humbled by the strength and resilience of our community. Through these pages you will get a glimpse of what we have seen, with over 350 youth competing for financial scholarships so they can fund university, 636 women seeking help with some wanting a reset after years of violence, 131 children seeking mental health support because of bullying or anxiety and so much more.

2024 marks two important milestones for The Zubin Foundation and each of these allows us to further our mission to improve the lives of Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities.

Firstly, in 2024 we included the elderly as a target group and each week 120 elderly individuals walk through our doors- we provide them with activities, social gatherings and education about health. Some live alone and others feel like a burden to their families but every Friday, they laugh, learn, and connect. Our aim is to enhance our work in this area, listening to the needs of this community.

Secondly, as we have become an integral part of the local ecosystem, particularly in our case with our mental health services, we work collaboratively with hospitals, the Police, schools, other NGOs, universities, and pro bono professionals. We see ourselves as an Integrated Service Provider for ethnic minorities and not an NGO working in a silo. This change of mindset allows us to think broadly about what may best help our service users.

I am grateful to my team who embed our core values into their work, the values of working with integrity, caring for those we serve and working in collaboration with others. I am thankful to my board, our many volunteers, our funders and most of all our service users who have trusted us to walk with them on their life journey.

May you be well. With blessings and gratitude,

Shalini Mahtani, MH, MBE

2024: HOW WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The Zubin Foundation is a registered charity with a mission to improve the lives of Hong Kong’s ethnically diverse individuals by reducing suffering and providing opportunities. These impactful numbers reflect the power of support – made possible by every donor, partner, and volunteer who stood with us. 

1,299 Women and girls Women and girls provided with a safe space to share, build friendships, and learn new skills		1,260 Youth Opportunities Youth given opportunities in education and employment to empower them to break the cycle of inter-generational poverty
6,080 Families Family members had accessed to Zubin’s Family Centre and engaged in direct services such as self- help support groups and special needs therapy for children with autism and ADHD in government primary schools.		1,167 Mental Health Hours of one-on-one counselling service for adults and children helping them manage their stress, depression, and anxiety, enabling them to better deal with challenges
3,300 Emergency Relief Individual received emergency relief in the form of food, and hygiene products		228 Systematic Change Hours of training provided to universities, in public and international schools and in companies, about the status of ethnically diverse communities as well as racial diversity, equity and inclusion.

To read our full annual 2024 Impact Report, please visit:
https://issuu.com/zubinfoundation/docs/2024_the_zubin_foundation_impact_report

Figures in the impact report based on activity attendance. Individual participants may be included multiple times. 

About Shalini Mahtani

Shalini Mahtani

Founder and CEO, The Zubin Foundation

Shalini Mahtani, MH, MBE is one of Hong Kong’s most authoritative and respected voices on social issues, particularly diversity and inclusion. In addition to founding The Zubin Foundation, among the city’s most accomplished think tanks on issues related to ethnically diverse communities’ welfare and patient welfare, Shalini is the founder of Community Business, the first organisation in Asia that brings together companies and their management around women, LGBT and disabilities at work. In 2009, Shalini was honoured by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader, and a year prior she was awarded an MBE from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her services in corporate social responsibility in Hong Kong. She was also recognised by the HKSAR Government for her contribution to issues related to ethnically diverse communities in Hong Kong. Shalini has authored research and opinion pieces on diversity and inclusion and is a frequent speaker on the topic. She is also a co-host on both BBC World Service and RTHK Radio 3. Shalini is from Hong Kong. She is a graduate of The London School of Economics. She is married and has three children.

Email: mummy@zubinfoundation.org

Photo credit: SCMP