Exemplary charity that helps domestic workers cope with money troubles warns virus crisis wreaked havoc

22 November 2020 rmedcalf CHARITY 0

^{The Enrich team}

The virus crisis has worsened the financial plight of many of Hong Kong’s 390,000 domestic helpers, according to the admirable charity Enrich HK. The organisation that helps migrant workers get on top of their money worries reported a 24 per cent increase in people asking for help in the first three quarters. Enrich HK will be a main beneficiary of Operation Santa Claus this year and you can donate by going to www.enrichhk.org

Helpers who often have no or little financial education fall victim to unscrupulous agents and loan sharks. Here are statistics quoted by Enrich:

$15,000 is the average fee charged to helpers during recruitment.
50 to 60 per cent is the amount most helpers send home to family each month.
48 to 60 per cent interest on loans is legal in Hong Kong.
72 per cent of the women and girls who come to the charity for help have taken out several loans from sharks.
73 per cent have to borrow to pay emergency expenses, medical needs and other costs.

Enrich has been operating since 2007 and says it has helped more than 30,000 migrant workers. It is headed by Board Chair Dr Daisy Tam, Executive Director Lucinda Pike and Director of Programmes Tynna Mendoza. Programmes for helpers include interactive workshops on financial education, one-on-one support and entrepreneurial classes.

To support the charity with donations, one off or monthly, go to www.enrichhk.org. Companies that want to give back to the community can partner with Enrich. Volunteers can assist with Sunday Outreach events and mentoring.

Residents who know of domestic helpers in difficulty, often because of downright bad employers, should also remember the other excellent charities that will help, notably Christian Action and the St John’s Cathedral offshoot Mission for Migrant Workers. These charities will take in abused workers, provide them with mentoring and paralegal services dealing with government departments and courts and provide the most unfortunate women and girls with temporary housing.