Calling for Donation
Emergency accommodation and emotional counselling
At Home Foundation (AHF), a UK charity, has been supporting HK Aid to provide emergency accommodation and emotional counselling to asylum seekers (AS). HK Aid is a registered CIC (a non-profit making Community Interest Company) established in the UK by some AS from HK.
In 2023, AHF sponsored £70,560 to rent a house, pay for part time social workers to provide advisory and emotional counselling services. The house can accommodate (officially) 7 AS at any one time, and in 2023, a total of 42 individuals took shelter. In addition, 162 emotional support cases were handled, 53 were emergencies.
As asylum seekers are gradually receiving approval or rejection, the number of AS needing assistance will decrease in time. But for next year, there is still need for emergency housing, at least for the short term. We aim to extend the current house rental for 6 months (January-June 2024), at current rent, at a budget of £17,400. The lease extension has to be agreed and rent paid by mid-December!
Advisory services and emotional support are still important for the physical and mental health of many youngsters, with or without the housing. There is also a need to support some AS in submitting legal documents to support their cases – there are not enough immigration lawyers in the UK. HK Aid will continue to hire qualified case workers for these purposes, at a budget of £30,960 for the whole year 2024.
To support HK Aid to continue to provide needed assistance to asylum seekers, AHF need to raise £48,360 for 2024, £17,400 of which has to be in place by mid-December.
Scholarship
AHF started a scholarship program this year to provide some financial support to young HK immigrants in pursuit of higher education. We received a total of 85 applications, but could only afford to grant 7 scholarships, 6 at £4,000 each, one for £3,000.
We would like to continue this program, and hope to be able to raise £50,000 to support 10+ students at £4,000 to £5,000 each. The funds will be needed before July 2024 for granting scholarships for the academic years 2024-25.
AHF Donation Drive
AHF has no paid staff. There is a core team of 5 people, all volunteers working at home so as to keep cost to a minimum. From incorporation to November 2023, AHF has provided £209,300 to fund its beneficiary programs, spent £9,600 in legal, accounting, website and other administration fees. Admin fees accounted for only 4.4% its total spending of £218,900.
AHF depends entirety on donations from supporters. We need your donation support. Thank you!