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 (Reprinted from Positive News HK)
New Hong Kong Charity offers training to enrich women’s lives
A group of women are seated around a table calculating a budget for a fictional Maria. All of them are migrants to Hong Kong. They have come to this city with plans. They want to save money, assist families at home, or eventually begin a business in their own country.
Through a series of interactive exercises, they learn how to make financial goals that will enable them to pursue their life objectives, and they learn how to achieve them. Together, with a facilitator who speaks their language, whether it is Tagalog, Bahasa, Nepali, English or Chinese these women are empowered to take control of their finances and their futures. Meanwhile by actively engaging in group activities, they create a community of women who can support and encourage one another. This is the vision of enrich, a new Hong Kong charity catering to domestic workers, ethnic minorities and low income women.
Like many others, Dorothy came to Hong Kong to take on higher paid work so that she can pay for her children’s education and help them secure a better future. Dorothy arrived in Hong Kong with debts equal to half a year’s wages owed to the agent that brought her here. Over the first few months here her debts increased as she struggled to cope with the competing demands on her very limited income. Hong Kong is full of temptations to spend money; clothes, phone bills and transport quickly ate away her salary while and she also had to pay for emergency medical treatment for her cousin and for repairs to her parent’s roof. Her money was gone before she could start to repay debts or save for the school feels due the next month. Her debts increased quickly as she borrowed at a high interest rate from different loan sharks.
By attending enrich’s Good Habits with Money workshop, Dorothy learnt to make a realistic plan to cut spending and get out of debt. Through small group follow up sessions, and phone calls she gets the support she needs to implement this plan.
 Enrich’s interactive financial literacy workshops have been developed by its partner, financial education specialist A and B make 3 Ltd. These workshops teach migrants to calculate their net worth, keep a budget and make an action plan to get out of debt and increase their savings. Improved financial literacy skills enable them to plan for their future effectively. Having more control over money means having more control over your life and your future.
Often, these women face discrimination on the basis of their sex, race, education, class, and language. enrich’s training in confidence and communication trains them to communicate more clearly and assertively creating better relations with those around them. enrich runs these workshops in different locations in Hong Kong, mostly on Sundays.
If you share enrich’s vision of empowering women you can help by spreading the word about enrich’s courses, especially to domestic helpers. Why not sponsor your helper to attend an enrich workshop? You may also be interested in joining enrich’s team of trainers, leaders and volunteers. They especially need people who speak Bahasa, Tagalog and Nepali. Sponsorship and financial contributions are also needed and very highly appreciated. Ultimately, the goal of enrich is to empower disadvantaged women to raise their standard of living, achieve their goals, and take control of their future.
www.enrichhk.org
www.aandbmake3.com
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22 November – 30 November 2008
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