Football and World Refugee Day

World Refugee Day on June 20 is a day on which we celebrate some of the strongest people I have ever met! Hong Kong is now 'home' to those who have been forced to leave their own homelands. We are now celebrating the recent victory of one of our social workers in our Centre for Refugees, Jeffery Andrews, the first Ethnic Minority social worker in Hong Kong.

When Jeffery began coaching our refugee team in 2003, he wanted to do it to the best of his ability, so he would need to become a certified football coach.

His first hurdle came when the Hong Kong Football Association told Jeff he would need to do the test in written Cantonese. Jeff didn't give up!

With the support of the community, and elite Hong Kong footballer, Leslie Santos, the test was finally offered in English so that Jeff and others like him could improve their football coaching skills.

Jeff had a powerful story to share when he was asked what football does for our refugee community. He said:

The impact football has on the refugee team seems to be acceptance. They look like premiere footballers, so when they're on the pitch, people are amazed and want selfies with them! It's awesome... playing for the team really changes their lived experience.

Refugees come from desperate situations, and many of them are not permitted to work when they arrive here. Jeff believes that football gives them confidence, and a way to see themselves as something other than a homeless refugee:

You can clearly see that there's a brotherhood, a fantastic feeling of, ‘We're not worthless refugees, we are footballers!' You can't put a price on that!

People tell me all the time, ‘Jeff, the tournament is not the same without you guys.' That's when I realise that we're not just football players, or a team of refugees. We are cultural ambassadors!

How amazing that something so universal, the game of football, can serve as a path to dignity and fullness of life for our Refugee and Asylum Seeker community. I hope that this success story helps you to see and understand refugees better, and appreciate the vibrancy and life they bring to our city.