As told to Edmond Lo and Tegan Smyth. Translated by Tegan Smyth. André* has been living in Hong Kong since 2013, after fleeing sectarian violence in his home country, Togo. He left amid suspicious fires occurring at two major markets in Togo, leading to the arrest of opposition members without trial, ahead of the country’s parliamentary polls….
Category: Welfare
Two Women, One Goal: “When the time is right, we will return home in dignity.”
As told to Fatima Qureshi Unspeakable conditions at work, political conflicts at home and the ongoing battle for safety and security, Rita* and Anne* came to Hong Kong from the Philippines nearly 10 years ago in hopes to financially support their families as migrant domestic workers. But unforeseeable circumstances at their agency discontinued further opportunities…
Legal Limbo, Mental Health & Faith: Intersections
As told to Shama Mashroor When discussing the lives of refugees, mental health is a factor that is often overlooked by policy-makers and individual citizens alike. What does it feel like to leave your home behind in search of a better one so that you can provide for your family, while also struggling with an…
A refugee’s story of hope: safeguarding faith, family and freedom
As told to Fatima Qureshi. Sabah* is from Egypt. Seeking refuge in Hong Kong with her husband and three children for a year now from religious persecution after her conversion to Christianity, Sabah talks about her broken past, struggling present and hopes for the future free from the anxiety of danger and exclusion. This is…
Dreams of a life: single motherhood in asylum
As told to Tegan Smyth June*, from Indonesia, has lived in Hong Kong since 2006. She has a daughter, Emma that she is raising by herself. She spoke a few months after her original interview about her hopes and aspirations for her daughter. Alice, from Togo, is also raising her two children alone in Hong Kong….
Motherhood and living as an asylum seeker
As told to Dannie Higginbotham and Cynthia Chung June*, from Indonesia, has lived in Hong Kong since 2006 and is a former domestic helper seeking asylum in Hong Kong. Over beef rendang, June talks about her time as a helper, her daughter, and life as an asylum seeker. Can you tell us about yourself, anything…
The waiting game: 16 years in Hong Kong as a refugee
As told to Leanne Ledgard. Words by Leanne Ledgard. Mahmoud* arrived in Hong Kong more than sixteen years ago, after fleeing persecution in his country. Despite all his children being born and raised in Hong Kong, each day is uncertain, as Mahmoud cannot work to provide for his family – and his children live as…
Education is an alienable right, after all… if you are a child refugee in Hong Kong
By Tegan Smyth Nino*, is a refugee from Togo. In 2005, he was forced to leave his country following a series of violent events which played out during a presidential election in his country. He arrived in Hong Kong the same year, with only the clothes on his back. He has been in search of…
Lifting the ‘no-work’ policy and contrasting cultural values: Refugee Perspectives
As told to Cynthia Chung [Editor’s note] This is the third part of our interview with Alex* from Refugee Union. We spoke at length about the no-work policy, whereby refugees and asylum seekers are unable to work or volunteer by law. How would our society be different if the no-work policy is removed? As I have…
From political violence to legal limbo: Refugee Perspectives
(Continued from previous post) As told to Mhairi McLaughlin and Tegan Smyth. Words by Mhairi McLaughlin. People in Hong Kong need to consider refugees as human beings, and understand that they need to be treated with the same respect as their own family What is life like for your kids in Hong Kong? Nino: We…
Living at society’s margins and below the poverty line: Refugee Perspectives
As told to Mhairi McLaughlin In 2005, Nino* was forced to leave Togo as a result of political violence which played out during his country’s presidential election. He fled in search of help for himself and his family. 12 years later, he lives in Hong Kong with his wife and two children, still looking for…
A Policy for a Divided Society: How the No-Work Policy affects the livelihood of Refugees
Refugees are left to survive on their own without any how they manage within these boundaries of meager welfare assistance. They scavenge and beg to survive which puts them in a very difficult situation because it pushes the refugee community to the extreme margins of poverty.
