MICRO FUND for
Cross-Cultural Mutual Support Projects
MICRO FUND for
Cross-Cultural Mutual Support Projects
MICRO FUND for
Cross-Cultural Mutual Support Projects
Project Period
Project Period
2022-2023
2022-2023
Purpose
Purpose
Purpose
For years, our work with ethnic minority women in Hong Kong has revealed a community bursting with creativity, adaptability, and power. Yet, too often, traditional systems overlook this localized potential, burying it under rigid bureaucratic hurdles. TheM built this project because we believe with the right preparation and structural support, these women are perfectly positioned to address their own community’s needs.
We offer a deliberate shift in how resources are shared: we pair capacity-building training with a simplified funding application. Instead of asking women to navigate complex traditional grants, we provide a low-barrier funding process combined with the exact practical guidance they need. Through these offerings, we remove the friction from the funding process, equipping community women to fully utilize their own capacities and drive change from the ground up.
For years, our work with ethnic minority women in Hong Kong has revealed a community bursting with creativity, adaptability, and power. Yet, too often, traditional systems overlook this localized potential, burying it under rigid bureaucratic hurdles. TheM built this project because we believe with the right preparation and structural support, these women are perfectly positioned to address their own community’s needs.
We offer a deliberate shift in how resources are shared: we pair capacity-building training with a simplified funding application. Instead of asking women to navigate complex traditional grants, we provide a low-barrier funding process combined with the exact practical guidance they need. Through these offerings, we remove the friction from the funding process, equipping community women to fully utilize their own capacities and drive change from the ground up.
For years, our work with ethnic minority women in Hong Kong has revealed a community bursting with creativity, adaptability, and power. Yet, too often, traditional systems overlook this localized potential, burying it under rigid bureaucratic hurdles. We built this project because we believe that with the right preparation and structural support, these women are perfectly positioned to address their own community’s needs.
To bridge this gap, we offer a deliberate shift in how resources are shared: we pair tailored capacity-building training with a radically simplified funding application. Instead of asking women to navigate complex traditional grants, we provide a low-barrier funding process combined with the exact practical guidance they need. Through these offerings, we remove the friction from the funding process, equipping community women to fully utilize their own capacities and drive change from the ground up.
Our Selected Projects (Jan-May 2023)
TheM launched open call to the public, inviting community members to form teams of two to five people. To ensure genuine collaboration, each team was required to include at least one ethnic minority woman and represent at least two different ethnicities. Throughout their journey, participants were guided by experienced social innovation trainers and facilitators. We provided tailored hands-on support across every stage of the funding cycle, ranging from initial project planning to on-the-ground execution.
As a result of this process, we co-created five bite-sized community projects. These initiatives serve as a crucial first step in fostering mutual support within multi-ethnic neighborhoods, with each project directly advancing cultural inclusiveness and gender equality.
Our Selected Projects
(Jan-May 2023)
Project Mental Wellness: Spring Healing
This project organised by Leeh Ann and Eny, which aims to enhance the understanding of mental health among foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong. The programme offered a series of diverse workshops including laughter yoga, Zumba, acrylic painting, embroidery, and more. Their goal is to encourage participants to pay more attention to their mental well-being, and to love themselves a little more.Leeh Ann and Eny, originally from the Philippines and Indonesia respectively, are domestic workers who play active roles in their community. Leeh Ann is a photographer who is involved in various community organisations and advocates for social justice in different capacities, while Eny founded mutual support platform Self Love Cupid and is dedicated to promoting the mental health of migrant domestic workers. The two met on previous occasions and collaborated on the Spring Healing project due to their shared concern for the mental well-being of this community.
Project Mental Wellness: Spring Healing
This project organised by Leeh Ann and Eny, which aims to enhance the understanding of mental health among foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong. The programme offered a series of diverse workshops including laughter yoga, Zumba, acrylic painting, embroidery, and more. Their goal is to encourage participants to pay more attention to their mental well-being, and to love themselves a little more.Leeh Ann and Eny, originally from the Philippines and Indonesia respectively, are domestic workers who play active roles in their community. Leeh Ann is a photographer who is involved in various community organisations and advocates for social justice in different capacities, while Eny founded mutual support platform Self Love Cupid and is dedicated to promoting the mental health of migrant domestic workers. The two met on previous occasions and collaborated on the Spring Healing project due to their shared concern for the mental well-being of this community.
FUN SAT 'EM(FSE)
Like any concerned parent, Nusrat witnessed her primary school-aged son spending his days cooped up at home during the pandemic, with little exercise or social interaction, which made her worried about the long-term impact on his physical and mental health. In addition to seeking resources available to ethnic minority children from social welfare organisations, Nusrat also invited her son’s friends over to play football. However, due to cultural differences, the children often had disagreements on the field, prompting Nusrat to realise the need for a professional coach. When discussing the situation with her friend Pete, who shares her enthusiasm for serving ethnic minorities, he mentioned Translate for Her’s Micro Fund programme. Inspired by this, the two of them collaborated to plan the FUN SAT ‘EM (FSE) project, which aimed to provide professional sports training for ethnic minority children. The FSE team consists of only two members, Nusrat from Bangladesh and Pete from Hong Kong. The former is a mother of two, while the latter, although not a father, is enthusiastic about serving ethnic minorities. Despite their differences in gender, ethnicity, and background, they formed a strong bond and in just a few months, they organised eight football classes and eight swimming classes for ethnic minority children. They also provided parent sessions for parents waiting outside the venue, where they encouraged them to relax, have fun, and share useful information on different aspects, such as navigating the Hong Kong education system.
FUN SAT 'EM(FSE)
Like any concerned parent, Nusrat witnessed her primary school-aged son spending his days cooped up at home during the pandemic, with little exercise or social interaction, which made her worried about the long-term impact on his physical and mental health. In addition to seeking resources available to ethnic minority children from social welfare organisations, Nusrat also invited her son’s friends over to play football. However, due to cultural differences, the children often had disagreements on the field, prompting Nusrat to realise the need for a professional coach. When discussing the situation with her friend Pete, who shares her enthusiasm for serving ethnic minorities, he mentioned Translate for Her’s Micro Fund programme. Inspired by this, the two of them collaborated to plan the FUN SAT ‘EM (FSE) project, which aimed to provide professional sports training for ethnic minority children. The FSE team consists of only two members, Nusrat from Bangladesh and Pete from Hong Kong. The former is a mother of two, while the latter, although not a father, is enthusiastic about serving ethnic minorities. Despite their differences in gender, ethnicity, and background, they formed a strong bond and in just a few months, they organised eight football classes and eight swimming classes for ethnic minority children. They also provided parent sessions for parents waiting outside the venue, where they encouraged them to relax, have fun, and share useful information on different aspects, such as navigating the Hong Kong education system.
Empower Her
Empower Her
Cancer Public Awareness for Migrant Domestic Workers Project
From February to May 2023, Social Justice for Migrant Workers (SJMW) organised a series of events, including online and offline seminars featuring doctors, psychologists, and ca cer survivors, as well as created online and physical booklets. In addition to cancer-related information, the booklet includes comic strips to encourage workers to seek medical attention bravely. The team hopes to inspire workers to prioritise their own health while caring for their employers' families. recognising that their own well-being is equally important.
Cancer Public Awareness for Migrant Domestic Workers Project
From February to May 2023, Social Justice for Migrant Workers (SJMW) organised a series of events, including online and offline seminars featuring doctors, psychologists, and ca cer survivors, as well as created online and physical booklets. In addition to cancer-related information, the booklet includes comic strips to encourage workers to seek medical attention bravely. The team hopes to inspire workers to prioritise their own health while caring for their employers' families. recognising that their own well-being is equally important.
Write.able-mental health and creative expression workshops
From January to February 2023, the Write.able team held four workshops on different themes, including interpersonal relationships, financial management, mental health, and writing trauma. In early May, the team held a graduation ceremony for the participants, allowing their works to be presented to a wider audience. The team hopes that this series of activities can enable foreign domestic workers to express their long-repressed emotions through creation, thereby promoting mental health. The Write.able team consists of four members, each with their own roles in the project. Nemy and Ailenemae, both founders of MWHK, are responsible for hosting writing workshops and sharing their own experiences. Christine, a filmmaker from the Philippines, is responsible for curating the participants’ works, allowing them to share their creative achievements with the public. Yvonne, from Hong Kong, is an assistant lecturer in creative writing at a local university and is primarily responsible for communication and venue rental.
Write.able-mental health and creative expression workshops
From January to February 2023, the Write.able team held four workshops on different themes, including interpersonal relationships, financial management, mental health, and writing trauma. In early May, the team held a graduation ceremony for the participants, allowing their works to be presented to a wider audience. The team hopes that this series of activities can enable foreign domestic workers to express their long-repressed emotions through creation, thereby promoting mental health. The Write.able team consists of four members, each with their own roles in the project. Nemy and Ailenemae, both founders of MWHK, are responsible for hosting writing workshops and sharing their own experiences. Christine, a filmmaker from the Philippines, is responsible for curating the participants’ works, allowing them to share their creative achievements with the public. Yvonne, from Hong Kong, is an assistant lecturer in creative writing at a local university and is primarily responsible for communication and venue rental.