Hong Kong is an international city with well-developed law and education systems. However, behind the prosperity, children are not as happy as the city’s success portrays.
Children are placed under tremendous pressure to succeed and have little control over their lives. As a result, many parents who genuinely believe the choices they make are the best for their children are in fact neglecting them. Some adults misuse positions of power and subject children to abuse.
With an office in the city, Viva has been pioneering the concept of holistic protection for children in Hong Kong since 2013. Kanice Ho began her role as Viva’s Child Protection Advisor in January 2017 and has now trained more than 500 people from ten different organisations – schools, churches and sports clubs – with an estimated reach of 10,000 children.
Kanice says, “To improve child protection in Hong Kong, it’s really important that we confess child abuse cases are happening. When we have better knowledge and awareness of child protection, we are more comfortable to discuss it, advocate it and tackle it. During the training, I want people to understand that it is not just the responsibility of professionals like social workers or teachers. It’s the responsibility of everyone.”
It’s encouraging to see the partnerships formed through this training. One participant is Andrea Wong, Operations and Kids Pastor at Sky City Church, and she says Viva’s training has made a real difference to all aspects of life there. “Viva has instilled in us a heart to pursue excellence in child protection and care. They have encouraged us to be proactive and to start somewhere.”
After the training, Sky City has implemented a more robust registration system for their Sunday school, improving diligence and accountability. As Andrea says: “We’d love for it to create a dynamic, attractive and engaging environment for children. Ensuring their lives are safe right now has implications for their futures.”
Find out more by watching the 4-minute video below:
Top banner photo: red_ernest