The resources put into supporting ethnic minorities in Hong Kong have been "ballooning" in recent years, said Rizwan Ullah, vice principal of a secondary school in Hong Kong, who is also a member of the Kowloon City District Council.
This has created more posts where younger second-generation immigrants can put their Chinese proficiency and ties to their community to good use, he said.
by Xinhua writer Liu Yinglun
HONG KONG, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Rizwan Ullah, vice principal of a secondary school in Hong Kong, usually begins his second commute of the day late in the afternoon -- driving to his office at To Kwa Wan for duties as a member of the Kowloon City District Council.
There, the Hong Kong born-and-raised resident of Pakistani descent helps ethnic minority households with difficulties they might have with applying for public housing, job-seeking and education, to name a few. Ethnic minorities, meaning non-Chinese residents, account for 8.4 percent of Hong Kong's population, according to the city's 2021 population census.
"I have the rizz with people," Ullah explained his trustworthiness with a wordplay on his first name. As Hong Kong beefs up efforts to help ethnic minorities integrate into the society, Ullah and many others in the ethnic minority community have found their purposes in myriad public service posts.
MORE ROLES TO PLAY
Ullah has always found Hong Kong to be a place that rewards hard-working people with opportunities. "I benefited from the opportunities and support given to the ethnic minority community as we grew up," said Ullah.
In one of his monthly column articles for a local media outlet, Ullah broke down Hong Kong's support system for ethnic minorities in four tiers -- the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government organs, support service centers across Hong Kong for ethnic minorities run by NGOs, ethnic minority care teams, as well as ethnic minority representatives in district councils and government advisory bodies.
He noticed that the resources put into supporting ethnic minorities have been "ballooning" in recent years. This has created more posts where younger second-generation immigrants can put their Chinese proficiency and ties to their community to good use.
One example is Hong Kong's first eight ethnic minority care teams established in July 2024. Each team is expected to reach out to around 500 ethnic minority households every year.
For 25-year-old Nepalese volunteer Saiksha Gurung, joining a care team is the perfect way to help members of her community, because individuals do not always have the courage or right resources.
"Now that I have volunteered at the Sham Shui Po care team, I am much more confident that I can be of assistance to members of my community," said Gurung.
Going on home visits to ethnic minority households has improved Gurung's grasp of the realities facing her community today. She has also established contacts with authorities, NGOs and professionals that ethnic minorities can go to regarding their respective needs. To prepare herself for a career in public services, she is applying for a Master's program on social work.
Ethnic minority integration programs launched by local authorities also opened up career opportunities. The Fire Services Department established an Ethnic Minority Youth Development Team in 2019 to provide career advice to younger residents and encourage them to join the department. Sixteen out of the 20 non-Chinese staff members were recruited from the program, according to the department.
GIVING BACK
The growing ethnic diversity in Hong Kong's public service sector helps improve the livelihood of ethnic minorities as well as foster their personal development.
"Higher ethnic minority representation in district councils means that our voices are being heard, and being heard is fundamental to affecting changes," said Ullah.
Ullah considers education and employment pressing challenges for ethnic minorities today. As an educator for over two decades, Ullah is well-prepared to mitigate these challenges. For a start, he advises ethnic minority students on school choices and career planning. His office also offers internship positions all year round to help students build their resumes.
On the district level, Ullah's office is working with NGOs to organize activities for the empowerment of ethnic minorities.
"If they're empowered, they know they will do well, and the generations ahead will do well, too," said Ullah.
Role models like Ullah are inspiring younger generations living in Hong Kong. Mohammad Shakir, probationary captain of a 30-strong team at Wong Tai Sin Fire Station, helped three Pakistani friends join the Fire Services Department.
Shakir often recounts the hard work he put into securing his dream job as a firefighter to primary and middle school students at the department's educational events. Students of various ethnic backgrounds were touched by how he continued to better himself by attaining a part-time bachelor's degree and passing the test for probationary captains.
"It makes me happy to encourage people in my community to pursue their dreams," said Shakir.■