Special Needs in Hong Kong
Making A Dream Come True For People with Special Needs
The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong
The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide services to the mentally ill and to create understanding and acceptance of the illness within the general population. In 2011, ORFL funded a unique project. Because the mentally ill feel ostracized in their Hong Kong communities, it is difficult for them to feel accepted and to lead a normal life. It was proposed that a group of such patients living in a home in Kwun Tong fulfill their dream of flying – something they had never done before and of going to a place where they wouldn’t feel so ostracized. On the 14th of December 2010, 14 patients, 6 staff and 6 family members boarded the plane and went to Taiwan.
Refurbishing The Wai Ji Gym (2011)
The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong
One of the single major contributors to rapid aging in the mentally ill is the lack of exercise. Much of the Wai JI’s gym was filled with broken and outdated equipment. ORFL funded the purchase of new treadmills and specialized exercise machines.
Bringing Families Closer Through Photography
The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong
The Association felt that the taking of family photos of their members would not only be an occasion to bring more joy into families of their members but would also bring families closer together. An added benefit would be the photos themselves for unforgettable memories of their loved ones.
In total, 80 professional family photo sessions were planned for April 2012. In all, it is expected that about 320 family members will participate. The photos will also be published in the Association’s newsletter.
Weekly Outings For People with Special Needs
Wai Ji Christian Service
This program was proposed by the Wai Ji Christian Service of the Social Service Department of Hong Kong. The purpose is two-fold. On the one hand, it allows patients to have an outing in the city and to feel safe . On the other, it allows the community to see that such patients may be handicapped but are not dangerous. Therefore the program contributes to changing perceptions of the mentally ill, particularly in neighbourhoods where there are residences for the mentally ill. This program was funded by ORFL and involved the transportation by bus of 30 patients to the public areas of Tseung Kwan O a few times a week over 6 months.
