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Newly Arrived Immigrant Women: Tell Our Stories for Anti-Discrimination!

It is common nowadays to learn stories about new immigrant women in news feed, media and social media. However, often those images portrayed or stories narrated are through the eyes of the authors/producers rather than from the women themselves. With the current tension between Hong Kongers and Mainlanders, images presented are often polarized, from seeing them as victims to rejecting them as invaders. The situation of grassroots new immigrant women, the most marginalized group among new immigrant, is likely to be hidden and distorted. That’s why members of New Arrival Women League (NAWL), a self-help organization of grassroots new immigrant women, are now organizing a story telling training to break those stereotypes and diaphragm. The training is supported by HER Fund and the NAWL members are committed to prepare themselves to go into different communities and schools and tell their life stories, and hope more people would understand their real situation.

"I am XXX. I settled in Hong Kong few years ago…" They began their stories in a similar way by telling when did they get marry, when did they give birth to their children, when did they immigrate from Mainland China to Hong Kong.

Every word spoken illustrates how they strive to survive, to adapt, and to integrate into our society for the betterment of their next generation.

"I tried my best to find jobs. Once the employer offered the job to me after an interview, I was overjoyed! However, my employer told me that he had hired his acquaintance and asked me to leave on my first day of work. I was really upset at that time…"


"Without thinking through, I simply took up the job to work as a construction worker. I tried to follow the other workers in the site, and to load the bricks and cement on my shoulder, but the loads were so heavy that I nearly fainted."


"Whenever I go out with my kid, I need him to promise me that he will not ask for new toys. Because mommy doesn't have money…"


"My colleagues were very friendly to me, but after knowing that I am a new immigrant from China, became indifferent, or even discriminate me. I changed jobs for more than 10 times so as to avoid facing the pressure of being discriminated…"


NAWL members are learning and practicing to express themselves in an organized way and to tell their own experiences with reference to the loopholes of social policy in Hong Kong, such as in what ways the CSSA and the public housing policy affecting their live conditions. One of the participants shared that she and her son successfully applied for CSSA with the help of NAWL under the authority's discretion. She can now maintain a relatively more stable living, though still impoverished. She is now a core member in NAWL to help other sisters who are still stuck in the middle of the system to strive for survival. She is courageous to share her life experience not only because it helps her let go of the painful emotions, but also because she wants to help others cope with their distress and tries her very best to reduce the social discrimination towards mainland migrant women. And practicing to tell their own stories could help them to let more people to understand their real situation and gain the support to their organization.



You Keep HER and Many Hers Dare to Change!

Diversity is extremely important to our society. And to support the marginalized groups is essential to sustain diversity. HER Fund sees herself as part of the social change movements, we make grants and support projects on "Freedom from Discrimination", "Freedom from Violence", "Freedom from Poverty", and "Women Citizenship".

This year, we continue to receive many meaningful projects seeking grant support from HER Fund. The projects are from women of diverse background who strive for their rights and justice. The applicants include transgender, foreign domestic workers, new immigrant women, survivors of domestic violence, lesbians and sex workers, etc. who are facing different forms of threats and violation to their human rights. Our small grants support is a seed grant, and a unique source that allow new initiatives to realize and to grow.

HER Fund is more than a funder! We run capacity building programs, provide resource referral, connection with other foundations, introducing professional volunteers, and provide opinion to our grantee organizations, which are grassroots self-help in nature, for we see this is the way to enhance their sustainability and development.

One of the challenges to us is the termination of funding from a core international funder. In order to sustain the impact of change made and to continuously support the least resourceful, most invisible, marginalized women for pursuing and safeguarding their human rights, we need your support to keep the mission moving on, please be our Monthly Donor!

Please download the donation form and send us back by info@herfund.org.hk or post to 1A, 217 Fa Yuen Street, Prince Edward, Kowloon. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via 2794-1100 or info@herfund.org.hk.

Meeting with WAGGGS

Girl scouts and girl guides from all around the world, including Japan, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, the United States, and Iran… gathered in Hong Kong for a world conference in early July. They visited HER Fund and Teen's Key to know more about the local women's issues and teenage girls' issues.


Upcoming Event: Racewalk for HER 2015

"Racewalk for HER 2015" is coming soon! The event will be on 18 January 2015 at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground. For more details, please stay tuned to HER news!

The last "Racewalk for HER" successfully raised HKD1.7 million to support local marginalized women's advocacy and capacity building initiatives to promote gender equality and social justice. You may see HER grant making projects via this link. Thank you for our supportive co-organizers, sponsors, walkers, performers, and volunteers!

Let's Walk with HER again this year!