(ANS – Hong Kong) – Massive migration is one of the most impressive signs of our times. The presence of immigrants or permanent residents from all around the world is growing in the prevalently Chinese society of Hong Kong. The Catholic diocese of Hong Kong has almost 100.000 non-Chinese believers. And so, like the first Salesians in Argentina in 1875, today also the sons of Don Bosco strive to journey together with the migrants, when possible.

By Fr. Dolphie Sequeira, SDB

In Hong Kong most of the South Asian minority groups belong to the lower socioeconomic strata. Their total population is about 42,000 or 11% of the ethnic minority groups. The majority of them believe in Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism. Their countries of origin are Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. Community or social services for these communities are not adequate. Youth and women are especially underprivileged. Many of them are in search of work, but find themselves in difficult situations as they do not have the qualifications or skills to achieve proper employment.

The Province of China wanted to see if they could do something for them with the help of Salesians from India. Thanks to initial mediation by the Councillor for the Missions in 2012, the province of Chennai answered in a very positive way. After an initiative of Fr Peter Newberry sponsored by the Salesian Provincial of China and his council, two Indian Salesians, Fr Dolphie Sequiera and Fr Amala Vinoth, arrived in Hong Kong in early 2013 for a three-month study of the situation of the South Asian immigrant youth at risk there. Since November 2013 Fr. Dolphie has been a member of the St. Louis Community, with twelve confreres of eight different nationalities.

At present the major activities of South Asia Youth Services are:

1. Eucharist for the South Asian Catholic community on the first Sunday of every month. After the Mass there is a sharing, games or Gospel movies and a time of recollection.
2. An Oratory in Tung Chung (Lantau Island, near Hong Kong airport), based in a Catholic primary school.  About fifty South Asian teenagers come every Sunday. It is run by the Salesian Cooperators and some young leaders
3. Seminars and Camps for Schools with many migrant youth (e.g. Sir Ellis Kadoori, Caritas Tuen Mun Maradon foundation)
4. Youth swimming in Hong Kong (Kennedy Town) and Lan Tau (Tung Chung) and hip-hop training for teenagers
5. Tuition classes for South Asians in the Cantonese language, Mathematics and English
6. Youth Camps at Don Bosco Youth Centre in Cheng Chau island
7. Tamil language tuition in Wah Tan College for some 130 school children
8. Outreach work for young people on the streets

Published 03/07/2015