Assistance To The Refugees
The Hong Kong Government provides accommodation, food, transportation allowance, clothing, medical help and daily living needs to asylum seekers. In 2004, Christian Action opened a service center and a shelter at Chung King Mansions in Kowloon, Hong Kong to help the refugees. Churches and other faith based organizations continue to provide housing, breakfast, hot dinners for 40 to 50 people daily. They also provide Internet access, Language (English, Cantonese) and computer skills courses and provide homework support for the children. Sports activities are organized.
Refugees also benefit from physical and mental health assistance. Many asylum seekers suffer from trauma due to persecution and torture, as well as due to poor nutrition and physical injuries, consequences of being homeless. They suffer sometimes from insomnia, memory loss, and digestive problems. The UNHCR has staff to cope with refugees that have suffered from sexual and gender related problems. Another group dealing with North Korean refugees in the region is Human Rights Without Frontiers.
Another notable organisation is the Hong Kong Refugee Advice Centre ('HKRAC'). The Centre was founded in 2005 as part of the Refugee Advice Unit of Christian Action but became "independent" from Christian Action in 2007. HKRAC offers free advice to asylum seekers in relation to their refugee status application and in most cases, will designate a proper case-worker to prepare their testimony, accompany them during their interview with UNCHR, and make representation on their behalf at the end of the interview. HKRAC is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation and is completely independent from the UNHCR and the HKSAR government.
Vision First is a grassroots NGO promoting the welfare of asylum seekers and refugees (AS&R) in Hong Kong. Founded in 2009, Vision First is run on 100% volunteer participation, that works by connecting resources within the community to assist the most vulnerable AS&R with housing, medical and dental care, counseling services, public awareness and advocacy. With a strong outreach program taken to clients' home to learn about their problems and devise creative solutions, Vision First guarantees 100% of donations go directly to the most vulnerable AS&R. In September 2010 they organized Hong Kong first "Asylum Seeker & Refugee Forum," which was a chance for this displaced group to meet the agencies and NGOs supporting them, to share updates and expressed their needs and preoccupations.
Read more about this topic: Refugees In Hong Kong
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