Equipping students with disabilities with employable skills

Hong Kong has a population of nearly 20,000 youths with disabilities, many of which will find it difficult to secure employment after finishing school. The Skills Workshop we developed with the Po Leung Kuk Anita Chan School provides vocational training for youths with disabilities to equip them with employable skills, and increase their chances of contributing to society in a meaningful way after school. One of the program's first graduates recently gained employment as an assistant barista at a local coffee shop.

Providing free soap to families from disaster-struck communities

Pneumonia and diarrhea are the leading causes of death for children under the age of five. Yet deaths from these diseases can be greatly reduced by simply washing hands with soap. At the same time, hotels in Asia discard millions of bars of soap each day. Soap Cycling work to utilize this otherwise wasted resource to save thousands of children each year.

Soap Cycling work with the hospitality industry to collect, sanitize and recycle slightly used soaps and other sanitation amenities. These life-saving items are then distributed to underprivileged families and schools in disadvantaged communities around the world, particularly Asia. Soap Cycling is the first organization of this kind in Asia, and is operated largely through student volunteers from the University of Hong Kong.

HandsOn Hong Kong work with the Soap Cycling team regularly by mobilizing volunteers to assist them with sorting, carving and processing the soap that they collect. Soap Cycling ensures that each load of soap they recycle is enough to provide a family in need with soap for a whole year.

Harnessing the power of sports to improve the lives of female refugees

Teaming up with NGO Free to Run, this exciting program uses the power of sports to help refugee women and girls overcome the harmful effects of conflict and discrimination in Hong Kong. Every Tuesday morning in Wong Chuk Hang, a couple of volunteers help to take care of 6-7 children of refugee mothers so that the women can participate together in an organised sports activity. Volunteers sing, play and read stories with the children during the session—effectively making the sports participation possible for their mothers.

The Free to Run team truly believes in the power of sports to change lives, and now so do we!

Celebrating CNY with Hong Kong's refugees and asylum seekers

The team at HandsOn Hong Kong was thrilled to help the Chungking Mansions Service Centre organize a CNY-themed party recently for 37 children of refugees and asylum seekers. The group, all aged 6-18 years, spent time with nine volunteers who helped them with schoolwork and talked to the students about Chinese culture and the traditions Hong Kong celebrates at this time of year.

Empowering female migrant workers through handicraft making

HOHK and Bethune House in Sheung Wan have been partnering together for a few years now. Bethune House has been providing a safe haven to mistreated female migrant workers in Hong Kong for nearly 50 years--their Sheung Wan shelter has beds for 40 residents, and provides services and activities that will help to re-empower them and equip them with useful skills.

Twice a month HandsOn Hong Kong is coordinating 2 volunteers for a handicraft session, which serves 7 of the Bethune House residents. During this session the residents are taught skills such as cross-stitching, jewelry making and how to make bags and aprons. It is also a chance for them to receive some much-needed companionship and support.