#ChungKingMansions #Refugees
Refugee Centre Fundraiser Achieves 200% of Goal for Fire Repairs; Elated Social Worker: "Unexpected Support from Hongkongers!"
One unit of the Christian Action Refugee Service Centre in Chungking Mansions wasdestroyed by an air conditioner fire at the end of August 2020.
The space has served refugees for 14 years since it has been put to use. The organization launched a crowdfunding to rebuild the units with a goal of HKD 800,000, and successfully raised more than 1.6 million, over twice the expected amount.
Social worker Jeffrey Andrews, who has been working at the center for 11 years, was excited at the exceptional result of the fundraiser, and still feels it was hard to believe: "It's too much!" Having spent years serving the refugee community, he knows that this minority group has been neglected by society.
Unexpectedly, this time they received a lot of support, and moreover, most of the donors are local Hongkongers. He is pleased to see that the crisis has turned into an opportunity, and the funds raised are enough to carry out a major renovation for the three units of the centre and improve the quality of services.
Looking back on the past year, Andrews noticed that Hong Kong people’s attitude towards minorities and refugees has changed dramatically. It all started in October 2019. He and his friends distributed water bottles to the protesters outside Chungking Mansions, which became an opportunity for the two groups to get to know each other and sincerely connect. "I think it's beautiful, and it's better than money!"
The social event has also made Hongkongers understand that their own fates and that of the refugees are not all that different, after all.
Source: InMedia #Sept30
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1077816
#EthnicMinorities #Hongkongers #Solidarity #CrowdFunding #JeffreyAndrews #ChristianActionRefugeesServiceCenter
Refugee Centre Fundraiser Achieves 200% of Goal for Fire Repairs; Elated Social Worker: "Unexpected Support from Hongkongers!"
One unit of the Christian Action Refugee Service Centre in Chungking Mansions wasdestroyed by an air conditioner fire at the end of August 2020.
The space has served refugees for 14 years since it has been put to use. The organization launched a crowdfunding to rebuild the units with a goal of HKD 800,000, and successfully raised more than 1.6 million, over twice the expected amount.
Social worker Jeffrey Andrews, who has been working at the center for 11 years, was excited at the exceptional result of the fundraiser, and still feels it was hard to believe: "It's too much!" Having spent years serving the refugee community, he knows that this minority group has been neglected by society.
Unexpectedly, this time they received a lot of support, and moreover, most of the donors are local Hongkongers. He is pleased to see that the crisis has turned into an opportunity, and the funds raised are enough to carry out a major renovation for the three units of the centre and improve the quality of services.
Looking back on the past year, Andrews noticed that Hong Kong people’s attitude towards minorities and refugees has changed dramatically. It all started in October 2019. He and his friends distributed water bottles to the protesters outside Chungking Mansions, which became an opportunity for the two groups to get to know each other and sincerely connect. "I think it's beautiful, and it's better than money!"
The social event has also made Hongkongers understand that their own fates and that of the refugees are not all that different, after all.
Source: InMedia #Sept30
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1077816
#EthnicMinorities #Hongkongers #Solidarity #CrowdFunding #JeffreyAndrews #ChristianActionRefugeesServiceCenter
獨立媒體
重慶大廈難民中心火災 眾籌重建獲160萬 社工安德里：港人支持出乎意料 | 獨媒報導 | 獨立媒體
（獨媒報導）位於重慶大廈的基督教勵行會難民服務中心，其中一個單位8月底因冷氣機起火而被燒毀。服務了難民14年的空間付諸一炬，勵行會發起眾籌重建單位，目標為80萬，結果成功籌得逾160萬，比預期超出一倍。 說起眾籌超額達標，於中心工作已11年的社工安德里（Jeffrey Andrews）表現興奮，仍感到難以置信，「It’s too much！」從事難