Background

The highest number of ethnic minorities reside in Tung Chung in Hong Kong. There is an invisible line that divides Tung Chung into private and public housing. Private housing comprises mostly those individuals in a middle-income cohort. Conversely, those who live in public housing in Tung Chung are from lower-income households.

There is little known about the needs of the lower-income ethnic minority community in this neighbourhood. It is critical to understand their needs to build social and racial harmony as well as alleviate poverty. 

Our Work

In this project, we aimed to engage directly with lower-income ethnic minority families in Tung Chung to understand their needs, connect them with resources, and help build an inclusive Tung Chung. We did this by: 

  • Training youth to provide assistance to the community.
  • Providing assistance to families such as food and referrals to other services.
  • Identifying the needs of families in the local community. Read our report.
  • Enhancing the understanding of the local Chinese and ethnic minority communities through cultural awareness workshops.
  • Training ethnic minorities to become culture tour guides in Tung Chung.

Training

We have conducted the following training sessions:

  • Ethnic Minority Youth Community Leader Training Series (trained 25 EM Youth) – 4 full days covering the following 
    • Peer Support  
    • Health and Mental Health 101 
    • Communicate with Families  
    • Handle Sensitive Conversations  
    • Mapping the Needs   
  • EM Play Facilitator Training led by Playright (trained 10 EM Youth) – Half-day 
  • YouTube & Video Filming (trained 10 EM) – 5 Evenings 
  • Cultural Exchange Early Summer Programme (trained 100 Chinese primary students and 100 EM primary students)  – 20 classes | 6 Saturdays
  • Tung Chung Women’s Empowerment: Arts & Crafts Introduction (trained 20 EM Women and Youth) – 1 hour 
  • Cultural Tour Guides Training (trained 25 EM Youth and 20 EM children) – 8 half days 

Arts & Crafts

Since 2021, we initiated home visits as part of the “Building Community, Building Tung Chung” project, targeting ethnic minority residents living in public housing estates to gain a better understanding of the needs of the ethnic minorities in the community as well as to provide them with the resources and support. During these visits and follow-up calls, our primary interactions were with mothers, daughters and wives. Through these in-depth conversations, we identified a significant need frequently brought up by the women: the desire to work from home to earn some pocket money for themselves and for the family.

We have successfully engaged with about 25 women in Tung Chung and beyond who have painted 1,500 pieces of coasters and bottles. This opportunity has not only enabled them to earn extra income but, more importantly, boosted their confidence and empowered them to do something on their own. Some of these women have even secured full-time jobs.

Photos & Videos

Our Impact

Our Sponsor

Swire TrustTomorrow (2021-2023)

Contact

If you would like to learn more about this project, please contact: 

Vibha Karnik | vibha@zubinfoundation.org | +852 2540-9588