ADAM*, FAMILY OF 4, MIDDLE EAST

Adam* was forced to flee his home in Africa with his wife and two young children due to persecution. After arriving in Hong Kong, they stayed temporarily in Chungking Mansions and then at another shelter for two months. The shelter policy kept Adam and his family from staying inside during the day, which was a challenge that proved quite difficult due to Adam’s physical disability and the threat of typhoon season.

Later, Adam and his family settled into a walk-up studio in Kowloon with a limited rental subsidy from the government. It was difficult for him to walk up and down six floors every day.

Thanks to the referral of other members of the refugee community, Adam learnt about Branches of Hope, started attending the weekly fellowship, and signed up for financial subsidies. Branches of Hope supported the families’ lunch and transportation costs to and from the programmes, and later on, the families’ rental allowance was subsidised through the Secret Angel Programme.

With newly granted hope and financial stability, Adam and his family were able to move into a home that was better suited for them. Meanwhile, Branches of Hope supported his children’s school fees through the Keeping Kids in Kindergarten.

Before fleeing to Hong Kong, Adam had worked as an accountant and a teacher in his home country. Unfortunately, he is currently unable to work in Hong Kong because of his status. He shared with us, “Working is not just for getting paid, but also to achieve goals for yourself and feel useful. Really, without help from Branches of Hope, we wouldn’t be able to survive in Hong Kong.”

*Name has been changed to protect identity