Thanksgiving & Recognition Day by the Mission For Migrant Workers (MFMW)
Cultural Program, Display Booths and Free Services
29 December 2013, Sunday – 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong
As the year 2013 ends, the Mission For Migrant Workers (MFMW) held a Thanksgiving and Recognition Day to express our appreciation to our fellow service providers in giving care to the foreign domestic workers’ community.
It was also a day to honor and recognise our partnership and collaboration with the different organisations amongst the migrant workers community in delivering the much-needed services to their fellow migrant domestic workers, considered as one of the most vulnerable and marginalised sector in the society.
This event featured a whole day of fun, celebration and caring. The following were some of the major events happening during the day:
Display Booths
Our partner organisations of migrant workers exhibited the different concerns, issues and advocacies of the migrant community in Hong Kong. The display booths highlighted the rights and welfare needs of the foreign domestic workers including healthcare, legal assistance, labour rights and international labour standards, women’s rights, social inclusion and harmony, etc.
Free Services
Different local and migrant organisations and intitutions gave their services free of charge to migrant workers for the whole day. The foreign domestic workers are taking care of families and households in Hong Kong six days a week. We wanted to return the care to them even for just one day. There were free health-related services like wellness checkup, glucose check, dental checkup, professional chiropractic services, and traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis. Other services included full body massage, internet access, seminars on anti-discrimination ordinances, documentary film screening, distribution of information materials on health and labour related concerns, and free hot coffee during the day.
Cultural Program & Awarding Ceremony
From 11:00 AM onwards, different migrant organizations performed a variety of cultural presentations including traditional dances from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Later in the afternoon, Members of the Board of the MFMW led the awarding of tokens of appreciation and recognition to its partner migrant organisations and fellow service providers.
An hour of live performance of a Filipino band closed the program at the end of the day.