Lockdown Emergency Food Drive
Feb 21st, 2022 | Advocacy | Comment
Here is a suggested donation of twelve items we need the most and suitable for all cultures and religions:
- Bag of Rice
- Box of Pasta / Noodles
- Bottle of Cooking oil
- Canned tuna / sardines
- Canned beans / soup
- Bag of instant noodles
- Box of UHT Milk
- Biscuits and crackers
- Fresh vegetables
- Fresh fruits
- Toilet paper / tissue
- Panadol Extra as refugees also get sick ????
You are most welcome to deliver to our centre anytime during opening hours:
Address: Unit E, 2/F., Lee Fung Building, 315-319 Queen’s Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Time: 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays
Contact: Mr Ibrahim
WhatsApp: 9828 7176
Delivery may be arranged in person, by courier, Deliveroo, SF Express, Gogo van or directly by the supermarket????
Frankly, cash donations are most flexible as we can then buy at local groceries the ethnic products that we eat at the cheapest prices – thank you for your understanding.
To support us with cash please visit our crowdfunding program here: https://bit.ly/3qYFq5u
The registered charity “Drink For Justice” will issue tax-deductible receipts for cash donations above $200.
Please share this post with friends and on social media as word of mouth is best to raise awareness for us ✅
Thank you from the heart for being there in our moment of need! ????
Leaving Hong Kong? Check this to-do list
Feb 17th, 2022 | Advocacy | Comment
We are grateful to the website LIFESTYLE ASIA for suggesting donations to Refugee Union to those leaving Hong Kong.
Click this link to read the article: https://www.lifestyleasia.com/hk/whats-on/leaving-hong-kong-check-list/
Quote: “Regardless of whether you’re being treated to a relocation package, forking out for movers off your own back or just winging it with a couple of suitcases, you’re more than likely going to have accumulated quite a few things over your time here. Unless you’re particularly attached to your IKEA furniture, odds are that selling or donating is the best way to go. List your things up on faithfuls such as Facebook Marketplace, Carousel and Asia Expat, or considering donating to a charity like the Refugee Union who are always grateful to receive clothes, kitchen items and old electronics.”
By the way, many of our members have been stuck in Hong Kong for more than a decade and cannot leave …
Anyway the article is absolutely correct: Got stuff to give away? Please WhatsApp 9828 7176 for gratitude ????
Emergency lockdown appeal
Feb 10th, 2022 | Advocacy | Comment
JANUARY ROUNDUP
Feb 1st, 2022 | Advocacy | Comment
Dear Members, Donors, and Volunteers,
January marks the beginning of one year. We hope that the year of 2022 will bring you health, success, and happiness. This roundup presents you an update about our centre throughout the month.
About us
‘We are refugees helping refugees.’
We are the Refugee Union. Founded in 2014, we are the first refugee-led organisation in Hong Kong. Our centre is currently based in Sheung Wan. As a union of protection claimants, we share the vision to safeguard asylum and refugee rights. With this vision we have been collaborating with our community partners to improve the status quo of asylum seekers and refugees stranded in Hong Kong.
Activities at a glance
It is unfortunate that many activities in our centre had to be put on hold in light of the deteriorating pandemic situation in Hong Kong. Nonetheless, we are still thrilled to share with you a few activities we engaged or happened in our centre:
We would like to thank Eaton Hong Kong and all vendors in last month’s Christmas market. We are thankful to them for fundraising for us and raising awareness about refugee issues.
We are proud to be one of the beneficiaries at the Circle Back event jointly organised by Take Out plastic and No Thrillsss. It was a secondhand clothing swapping market held on 22 and 23 January. We are thankful for the items donated to our members.
We would also like to grasp this opportunity to thank professional photographer Karling at So Lightly for taking amazing photos of families, adults, and children. Thank you for raising awareness about refugee issues.
Giving is a blessing
Asylum seekers in Hong Kong are prohibited from working and are solely reliant on a limited stipend of some HK$3,000 (US$385) and few necessities, to survive. Essentials such as baby’s items and toiletries are not (adequately) provided. Despite activities being halted, members are in need of necessities.
This month we have received donations of wide-ranging items in our centre. We would like to take this chance to express our heartfelt gratitude to all generous Donors for lending us a hand. Your support means a lot to us. As always, we promise to deliver all donations we received to our members who are in need.
As the Chinese New Year approaches, we wish everyone health, prosperity, and peace in the year of the tiger. May we also invite you to consider donating some of your red packets received and share the blessing with people in need, such as asylum seekers and refugees.
We have a crowdfunding platform here.
Please stay tuned to our official website and social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) for the most updated information. You are also welcome to contact us by email at info@refugeeunion.org or by visiting our centre during office hours (Mon to Sat, 10:00-18:00).
Thank you for your support of our initiative.
We are brothers and sisters
Jan 17th, 2022 | Advocacy | Comment
We are brothers and sisters. Nobody wants to be labelled, sorted and dehumanized by a passport, but that is what happens today to refugees and migrants at borders. Refugee Union stands for justice in migration, asylum and all forms of border crossing.
Did you know that passports were only required for travelling after World War Two? Prior to the 1950’s it was sufficient to buy the passage on a ship or plane to travel anywhere in the world. The United States only started to require passports in 1952.
In 2022 a passport offers either extreme freedom or extreme hardship.
What do you enjoy?
Fundraise to Support Refugee Union in 2022
Jan 11th, 2022 | Advocacy | Comment
We believe that together we stand stronger!
Refugee Union is the first self-organized group in Hong Kong where refugees help refugees. We registered as a society in 2014 to connect with Hong Kong residents and the community at large. We operate from a small centre in Sheung Wan where members and supporters meet and collaborate. It is an essential collective effort where your contribution makes a difference.
Refugee Union gathers over a thousand members from 20 countries, including 200 children. Our services are greatly limited by the donations we receive. We mainly support families as they are the most vulnerable and in need of greater assistance.
The monthly government welfare is: $1500 for rent, $1200 for food, $300 for utilities and $200 for transport to official appointments. These amounts are unchanged since 2014. No support is provided for clothes, shoes, home fittings, cooking, cleaning, medicines and phones. Imagine, how do you cook without a stove and pots? How do you raise babies without diapers? How do you find shelter with $1500 monthly?
We plead for your financial support to make ends meet.
We pay $11,000 a month to rent our busy centre which is essential to receive and distribute donations. It is practically impossible to live without money in a city where everything has a price tag. We struggle below the poverty line and are banned from working under threat of 15 to 22 months in prison. We have designed four tables to explain how we spend the money we are lucky enough to receive. See: https://bit.ly/38FjT9x
Through the Refugee Union we have the opportunity to directly reach out for assistance. We would be most grateful if you could contribute to this fundraiser so that we can strengthen our shared effort to support refugees. We are thankful that many of you have donated before as it shows that Hongkongers understand our predicament and are willing to help refugees.
We are most grateful for your support!
You are warmly welcome to visit our centre and learn directly about the predicament in which we live. As refugees can’t open bank accounts, so we appointed the registered charity “Drink For Justice” to receive and disburse these funds to us in full. This platform collects no fees either.
Kindly share this crowdfunding page with your friends and on social media as it is the best way create awareness and support our community effort. We believe that together we are stronger!
Click to donate now: https://go.sparkraise.com/fundraise-to-support-refugee-union-in-2022
December Roundup
Dec 30th, 2021 | RU updates, programs, events | Comment
Refugee Union was founded in 2014 and is the first refugee-led organisation in Hong Kong. As a union of protection claimants, we share the common vision to safeguard refugee rights and have been working closely with our community partners to improve the status quo of asylum-seekers and refugees locally.
Activities at a glance
It is December, cold weather and the festive season mark the end of this year. This month, as usual, has been a fruitful one with many meaningful activities going on in our centre, and we are thrilled to share with you some of them:
On 8 December, we were honoured to host two special guests, Tegan Smyth of the Grassroots Futures and Nick Rothwell of the Kellett School’s Outreach Programme, who came to our centre and talked with our members. Thank you for the visit and for keeping us in mind.
On 13 December, we were very glad to have students of Li Po Chun United World College visiting our centre and preparing activities for children. Thank you for spending time with us and your efforts. We all had great fun.
On 23 December, volunteers of Grassroots Future organised a crochet class in our centre. This time ladies learned how to make African violet hexagons using crochet. Approaching Christmas, we had a party for celebration afterward. Thank you so much for everything our community partner Grassroots Future has prepared for us!
Giving is a blessing
This month we received donations of wide-ranging items. We would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to all generous Donors for lending us a hand. Your support means a lot to us. As always, we promise to deliver all donations we received to our members who are in need.
Please stay tuned to our official website and social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) for the updates. You are also welcome to contact us by visiting our office or sending us an email at info@refugeeunion.org for any enquiry.
We are refugees helping refugees. Thank you for your support of our initiative. Wish you health and prosperity in the new year.
Merry Christmas!
Dec 25th, 2021 | Advocacy | Comment
Merry Christmas to all our wonderful supporters, donors and volunteers 
You reached out and touched our hearts with your generosity 
We are most grateful for everything you have done for the Refugee Union
Click the link to donate: https://bit.ly/3Fg63sT
Our Dream Christmas Present
Dec 21st, 2021 | Advocacy | Comment
Here are some ways we need to spend cash …
November Roundup
Dec 1st, 2021 | Advocacy | Comment
Refugee Union was founded in 2014 and is Hong Kong’s first refugee-led organisation. To safeguard refugee rights, we work closely with our community partners to improve the status quo of asylum seekers and refugees.
Activities at a glance
This month has been a fruitful one with many meaningful activities happening in our centre, and we are thrilled to share with you some of them:
On 1/11, we were honoured to host representatives from the Sadhu Vaswani Mission and were grateful to know that they will arrange a series of donations for us soon. Thank you very much for your generous support!
On 9/11, we were excited to have volunteers from Oneinchvertical organising outdoor sports activities for kids. They were overjoyed and cannot wait for the next time.
On 10/11, our partner Grassroots Future continued the biweekly knitting class with ladies. Many thanks to Jessica and fellow volunteers for the long support.
On 18/11, we had the great honour to host representatives from RUN Hong Kong in our centre. We look forward to collaborating with them soon.
On 20/11, volunteers from CLSA Outreach visited our centre and taught children how to do hand drawn line art tattoos. Thank you for having us in mind.
On 25/11, we were delighted to have Kayla and her friends from the German Swiss International School bringing a painting class for kids. We all had great fun.
Thanks also go to teachers and students from the Chinese International School for delivering science and music classes for kids on 26/11 and 27/11. We learned a lot with joy.
Giving is a blessing
This month we received donations of wide-ranging items, which include but are not limited to food, clothes, baby’s items, furniture, and other necessities.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to all Donors for lending us a helping hand. Your support means a lot to us. As always, we promise to deliver all donations we received to our members who are in need.
Please stay tuned to our official website and social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) for the updates. You are also welcome to contact us by visiting our office or sending us an email at info@refugeeunion.org for any enquiry.
Thank you for supporting our initiatives and we look forward to hearing from you!