More than a decade ago, Ms Wong Wai-fun, Fermi was working as an outreach social worker, when she came across a group of South Asian teenagers in Jordan late at night. She was shocked at how vulnerable and deprived they were. These young people were discriminated against, largely ignored by the government and helped by very few welfare organizations. This meant they did not have equal opportunities in terms of education and employment. Ms Wong recalls how saddened she was when a Nepalese father knelt in front of her pleading for her to help his son quit drugs. So she decided to devote her time to serving ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.

In 2001, Ms Wong set up Hong Kong Unison to help ethnic minority residents in Hong Kong. At the time she had no funds, worked on a voluntary basis as its social worker and paid for any expenses herself. It was not until 2006 that the organization started to receive donation and Ms Wong became a paid member of staff. Now she is the organization’s Executive Director.

Ms Wong believes that everyone is equal – “Every one of us, regardless of skin colour, should be treated equally and with dignity.” Through Hong Kong Unison, she helps ethnic minorities with education and employment issues and opportunities, as well as assisting drug abusers to overcome their addiction. She also gives support to families, providing counselling to those who face isolation and feel helpless due to social prejudice and helping them to fully integrate into society.

Over the years, Ms Wong has campaigned for legislation against racial discrimination, and equal rights for ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. She has also carried out public education initiatives, promoting multi-culturalism in local communities and schools, and through that she has met and worked with similar-minded people and organizations. Their combined efforts have resulted in the taking effect of the Race Discrimination Ordinance in 2009; changing the school places allocation policies to enable non-Chinese students entering primary one and secondary one of mainstream schools; enhanced Chinese learning support for them; recognition of result of GCSE Chinese subject as one of the entry qualifi cations by local universities; as well as funding by government for vocational training courses tailor-made for people from ethnic minorities.

Ms Wong’s selfl ess care has touched many people from ethic minorities. They themselves have become more assertive and positive and are also volunteering to help others within their communities. Ms Wong hopes that her continuous work will eventually eliminate prejudice towards people from ethnic minorities within Hong Kong society. Her goal is that all Hong Kong residents, regardless of their race, will enjoy equal rights while taking up their equal shares of social responsibilities.