Listen, Learn & Laugh!

Between the ages of 18 and 24 I was studying in England on a scholarship from Kentucky Fried Chicken. At that time teenage naivete told me I was in exile from my beloved Malaysia, where I had been well on my way to fulfilling my dream of becoming a famous singer and enjoying the popularity that comes with holding the Freshie Queen title!

I know now that it was during those years that God was preparing me for a far better and more satisfying destiny than being Freshie Queen!

There's a group of 18-24 year olds in Hong Kong who are also in 'exile' from their homeland, but unlike me, they did not willingly exile themselves, and they need hope for a better future. They fled from danger, and sought asylum here. Youth Connect may be instrumental for them to reach their own satisfying destiny.

In two days time it is World Refugee Day, so this is a good time to tell you about an extraordinary and almost unprecedented opportunity Christian Action has to build rapport and build bridges of understanding.   Youth Connect is a collaborative effort between Christian Action’s Chungking Mansions Service Center for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CA-CKMSC) and local charity Breakthrough.

Youth Connect seeks to address the powerlessness and futility experienced by refugees and asylum seekers between the ages of 18-24 in Hong Kong. It does so by promoting integration and cross-cultural understanding between the youth of HK and refugees and asylum seekers.

Besides these young refugees and asylum seekers who have been recruited by Christian Action’s core team members, Breakthrough recruits students from Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong and alumni of Breakthrough’s youth leadership programs.

Each event gives participants the opportunity to build community through excursions and gatherings, where everyone gets to share and encourage each other. Interactions with local and mainland Chinese students and presentations by local professionals, allow young refugees and asylum seeker youth to experience greater integration into Hong Kong and enhance their knowledge and understanding of the city and its people. The gatherings also create opportunities for local/mainland students to understand the lives of refugees and asylum seekers in Hong Kong, and for all participants to develop an appreciation for diversity.

Activities focus on building participants’ self-esteem and self-confidence, and developing constructive strategies to cope with difficult and seemingly desperate situations. Developing leadership skills, planning, budgeting, and public speaking skills are all part of the connecting process.   It will also give the non HK youth the opportunity to connect with Hong Kong institutions that empower youth, such as Breakthrough, football clubs, universities and young professionals.

For many Hong Kong youths, this is the first opportunity they may have to listen, learn, and laugh with someone from a totally foreign culture.

Contact us via the comments box to find out more about what YOU can do to help refugees and asylum seekers in Hong Kong!