The charity organization "Help for Domestic Workers" has been actively providing support to foreign domestic helpers affected by the Tai Po fire, including assisting them to apply for the re-issuance of documents, etc. The representative of the organization pointed out that foreign domestic helpers would have been severely affected by the disaster in both physical and mental aspects. Moreover, since Hong Kong is also a relatively unfamiliar city to them, their psychological impact might be much greater. Considering such conditions, the organization decided to take the initiative to help them in time.
Manisha Vijayasinghe, Photo by Bastille Post
The organization representative, Manisha Vijayasinghe, came to lay flowers at the site of the Tai Po fire on Sunday. She pointed out that the organization has been serving foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong since 1989. The members of the organization have multilingual communication skills and can effectively overcome cultural and language barriers to provide timely assistance to domestic workers in need.
Many citizens came to the site of fire to express their condolences, Photo by Bastille Post
Manisha added that, apart from ensuring the affected domestic helpers can have access to basic supplies such as food and clothing, the organization is also committed to assisting them in handling long-term matters such as reissuing documents, arranging for their return to their hometown, or prolonging their employment in Hong Kong, etc. She pointed out that such support often lasts for several weeks or even longer and is not a one-off short-term aid.
Many citizens came to the site of fire to express their condolences, Photo by Bastille Post
When talking about the current challenges of work, Manisha said that many of the affected domestic helpers are still in severe psychological shock and find it hard to seek help proactively. She listed an example, saying that she once came into contact with a female worker who had lost all her possessions in the disaster. Due to such deep hurt, she could merely sit still and wait, unable to express her needs to seek help. Therefore, in her eyes, the organization should take the initiative and send personnel to various temporary shelters to identify and assist such silent victims of the fire disaster.
