Listen to #Hashtag Hong Kong every Sunday morning at 8.15
Focusing on issues affecting civil society, we'll hear from representatives of NGOs, associations, statutory bodies, and non-profit groups.
(Sundays 8.15am - 8.25am)
Good morning everyone!
Hong Kong is home to over 340,000 migrant domestic workers. They are the backbone of our households, caring for our children, supporting our elderly, and keeping our homes running smoothly. Yet, many face financial pressures, recruitment debt, and even fraud.
Enrich exists to change that story. I think of Eka, a migrant domestic worker from Indonesia who has lived in Hong Kong for more than 20 years. When she first arrived, she faced enormous financial pressures and struggled to manage her income. Like many women, she carried the weight of supporting her family back home while navigating life in a new city.
Eka joined Enrich’s financial and empowerment workshops, and she describes the experience as life changing. She learned how to budget, save, and plan for the future. Over time, she built the confidence to take control of her finances and even began to dream of starting her own business.
What inspires me most is her determination. Eka told me that before Enrich, she didn’t know how to manage money. Now she feels confident and knows that she can build a better future for herself and her family.
Her journey reminds us that true empowerment goes beyond statistics—it's rooted in dignity, hope, and rekindling the capacity to dream. Eka’s story reflects the resilience of so many migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong, and why Enrich’s mission matters.
Through financial and empowerment education, we help women learn to budget, save, and plan for their futures. We also provide workshops on communication, well being, and entrepreneurship. Since 2007, tens of thousands of women have joined our programmes, and many have told us how these tools gave them hope, confidence, and control over their lives.
People often ask me why I chose to lead Enrich. The answer is simple: because empowerment is transformative. When a woman learns to take charge of her finances, she doesn’t just change her own life; she changes the lives of her children, her family, and her community back home. Education is the most sustainable form of support we can offer, and I am proud to be part of an organisation that invests in women who, in turn, invest in the world.
At Enrich, we were deeply saddened by the devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court. Our hearts go out to all those affected, especially the migrant domestic workers who lost their homes and belongings, and the families that lost their sisters, daughters, and mothers. In the days that followed, we witnessed the generosity of the Hong Kong community, but we also saw opportunists trying to exploit the tragedy. That is why we dedicated our Giving Tuesday donations directly to those impacted, with a special focus on migrant domestic workers.
This March, we will celebrate International Women’s Day with one of our biggest events of the year: “Empowering MDWs: Resilience, Wellbeing & Pathways Forward.”
Today, we celebrate the resilience of migrant domestic workers and support those affected by the tragic Tai Po fire. Together with our co host, the Social Innovation Team at the Knowledge Transfer Office of the Chinese University, we will welcome migrant domestic workers and the wider community to InnoPort in Sha Tin. We chose this venue to reach more workers living and working in and around Tai Po.
The event will feature:
- Booths offering practical support, from mental health counselling and women’s health resources to financial consultation, legal aid, and upskilling opportunities.
- Interactive sessions covering financial literacy, fraud prevention, safety awareness, women’s wellbeing, and entrepreneurship.
- Wellness and art activities, such as Piloxing, artwork creation, and breathing exercises, to refresh and inspire participants.
- Booths showcasing migrant domestic worker groups and NGOs with business ideas and skill demonstrations.
This event is about more than services. It is about community, empowerment, solidarity, and pathways forward for migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong.
Reflecting on my journey with Enrich, I realize that empowerment starts with listening—listening to voices that are often overlooked and recognising their strength, resilience, and dreams. Hong Kong is a city of opportunity. Let us ensure that opportunity is shared. Let us invest in the women who invest in us every day.
I invite you to join us on International Women’s Day to stand with migrant domestic workers, celebrate their resilience, and help build a future where every woman has the tools to reach her goals.
Thank you for listening, and I hope you can support Enrich HK in some ways. Together, we are making a meaningful difference.
Hi everyone. Imagine growing up in a world where the form of communication at home is profoundly different from the one outside. This is the reality for Children of Deaf Parents, often referred to as CODAs. In Hong Kong, these children face unique challenges.
As a CODA, we often become interpreters and mediators for our parents from a very young age. This isn't just about translating spoken Cantonese into Hong Kong Sign Language; it extends to complex situations like doctor's appointments, parent-teacher meetings, or even legal matters. This responsibility, while fostering incredible maturity and empathy, can also be a significant burden, potentially impacting our own childhood and development.
There's the issue of social isolation. Deaf families can sometimes feel disconnected from the wider hearing community, and their children, while fluent in both languages, might struggle to find peers who truly understand our unique family dynamics. This can lead to feelings of loneliness or difference.
Finally, there's the lack of public awareness and understanding. Many people simply aren't aware of the needs and strengths of deaf families, leading to unintentional misunderstandings or a lack of appropriate support.
Many families rely on close-knit networks within the deaf community itself. These networks provide emotional support, shared experiences, and practical assistance. Children, from a young age, develop remarkable problem-solving skills and independence. We learn to advocate for our parents and for ourselves, becoming adept at navigating social systems and finding solutions.
Organizations like CODA Hong Kong also provide crucial support. They offer a safe space for these children to connect with others who share similar experiences, participate in workshops, and receive mentoring. This peer support is invaluable in fostering a sense of belonging and reducing feelings of isolation. They also work to educate the public, bridging the gap between the hearing and deaf communities.
Greater public education and awareness are paramount. We need to normalize sign language and deaf culture, promoting understanding and inclusivity in schools, workplaces, and public services. Simple things like having readily available information in visual formats or providing basic sign language resources in public spaces can make a huge difference.
The government can provide more accessible and comprehensive support services. This includes increasing the availability of qualified sign language interpreters in essential services like healthcare and education, ensuring that deaf parents can fully participate in their children's lives without relying solely on their children to interpret.
We can foster a culture of empathy and proactive inclusion. This means encouraging schools to be more aware of the needs of CODAs, providing us with counseling if needed, and celebrating our unique abilities. For individuals, it's about being open-minded, learning a few basic signs, and approaching interactions with deaf individuals and their families with patience and respect.
