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Month: May 2022

Children Stories

Money Management – 《Battle of Little Millionaires》 – Wilbur House

If children can gain knowledge of money management, explore and practise at a young age, their future growth will be greatly benefited. House parents train Wilbur House children (primary school boys) on money management, and let them grasp some basic concept in economics earlier. These children learn how to save, reduce unnecessary spending, postpone enjoyment of their ‘heart’s desire’, and save money slowly for their set targets. The result is very encouraging!

Learn Currency Values

House parents teach children money management. Firstly they introduce to them the Hong Kong currencies, for example, the shapes, sizes and values of coins and paper notes, so as to avoid confusion. Allow them to record income and expenditure every week. Just like Math, they add the savings (e.g. red packets) and deduct the spending on their account books. Let them see how much they really have. Then they can plan ahead and clear off fantasies. 

Set Goals and Carry Out Plans

Once the savings goals are set, they can list out the ‘wants items’ or ‘important and needed items’ using straight line sorting method. House parents can infuse the meaning and value of each item, let them set priority and make better decisions. When the shopping goals are set, they have to compare prices and be smart consumers. For example, the same product may have different prices in different stores. If one store offers discounts, is it the best price? This could be a very practical Math lesson!

Give Back and Sharing

Finally when certain saving amount is reached and the ‘heart’s desired’ is bought, are they able to share the joy with housemates? Will it be donated to someone else in need? Learning such topics at a young age can help pave the way to contribute and give back to the society.


From Theory to Practice

Steve (alias):

He saved enough money to treat his mum for a meal on Mother’s Day.

Brian (alias):

Aim at the target, check for the best price, then purchase biography of his favorite basketball star.

Teach children to “save first, spend later”, cherish to wisely use and manage money, master the balance of income and expenditure, then we can cultivate their good spending habits. Some research points out that children who can postpone enjoyment and wait patiently will give rise to better development in academic, social and coping ability, thus enlightening their future.

Events

“A Severe 5th Wave Pandemic” – A Tough Battle Against Covid-19

The fifth wave pandemic swept all over Hong Kong and our children’s home was in deep water. A total of 22 children, youths and staff were tested positive. We are grateful to get over this battle with peace even at the precarious stage. Our staff standby each other and protect this Home against the pandemic.

Start of the New Wave

Our organization is located in the middle of the infected area of Wong Tai Sin. In early Feb, after everyone passed the compulsory nucleic acid test, we started to use rapid antigen tests for early identification of infected residents or staff. This preventive measure proactively stopped anyone with symptoms from returning to this Home.

Challenges of On-site Quarantine

Inevitably, the virus struck on us. On Feb 18, after the “Pandemic Response Measure Meeting”, our staff reported 3 residential children and 1 day care child tested positive. With fear and precaution, we immediately launched the highest-level contingency measure in order to quickly stop the spread of viruses inside our Home.  As Hong Kong was at the peak of the pandemic, quarantine facilities became insufficient and public health care system was collapsing. Apart from arranging voluntary online medical consultation by our honorary consultant doctor, we quickly implemented on-site quarantine, separated children that were confirmed as infected, close contacts, returned from short term home leave and other children into four different zones, and took care of them separately. Even if they had to be moved from one place to another, they did not make any complaint. All children were required to stay at our Home during quarantine period. Every day, we have to do rapid tests as prevention of outbreak and safeguard the health of the children.

United as One to Fight the Pandemic

In the severe pandemic, 8 children, 2 youths and 12 staff have been infected successively. Our organization has to maintain 24-hour residential and youth home services for more than 100 children and youth, and face the unprecedented challenges. How we should take care of the children in different zones, deliver meals, continue online classes, conduct rapid tests and monitoring, arrange medical consultation, protect and disinfect the area, all these increased the workload and psychological pressure of our staff. Thanks to different departments, frontline house parents, supporting staff, etc. for safeguarding in their positions and help each other. There were social workers who took up night duties at consecutive nights, relief staff who risked and worked in the forefront.  In face of extreme shortage of manpower due to their illnesses, the superintendent and social workers personally took care of the children. Thankfully, although confirmed cases were found in different care units, they happened at different time. Under the situation of extreme manpower shortage, everyone confronted the challenges head-on.

Take Care of Children’s Emotions

Under the pandemic, children need to stay inside our Home, take online and make up lessons. Some extracurricular activities could only be carried out to a limited extent or moved online. To our children, especially those with special educational needs, staying focused could be a big challenge. House parents not only look after the children’s daily living, protect them from infection and teach them self-care, they also care about their emotional stress due to the pandemic. “Beibei” (alias) – one of the children tested positive and recovered, recalled that she used to co-live in a group and felt lonely when isolated during quarantine. Fortunately, social workers and house parents kept chatting with her and cheered her up.

Despite the difficult process of the fight against this pandemic, the patient care and fearlessness of our staff, the implementation of preventive measures by all staff, compounded by the care and donations of all the kind-hearted supporters, united as a fortress, our organization peacefully overcome this tough battle against the pandemic.

Youth Stories

《Bid Farewell to My Boyhood》 – Kenny

Youngsters do not know what sadness is? Youth staying in children’s home have to think about housing, livelihood, independent living and other issues before the age of 18, and their growth is accelerated all at once.

Kenny (alias) used to be taken care of by his grandma and lived a carefree live. He was arranged to stay in the children’s home about the time of junior high, when grandma was too old to look after him due to her old age. In this new Home, he had to learn to do housework and self-care. He accepted it silently with a sense of responsibility.

Boyhood Days

Kenny was looked after by his grandma since he was a child, and he had no impression of his parents at all. Life in this new Home was an eye-opener. Among the many activities, he liked hiking, especially the night walks, camping and sunrise watching activities at the end of year. Although it was tough, each time he successfully saw the sunrise, he felt a sense of achievement. In addition, he was impressed at the first time he participated in the “Man vs. Wild” – a field activity that tested physical fitness and courage. Kenny remembered that in one of the challenges they had to work in pairs and walk between two cliffs with one belt. He learnt that it takes courage to initiate the first step and come out of his comfort zone in order to succeed, and it is very important and a great help to have someone around and support each other.

Home is where the heart belongs

Kenny has an easy-going personality and everyone around him is willing to help. After he aged out of the children’s home to pursue further education, he still came back to work as a part-time tutor. This time, he takes care of young children like an elder brother. He realizes that the younger generation is different from his past and they have various needs. Nevertheless, he feels each generation has its own way of happiness.

Independent Living

Before any youth leaves the children’s home, social worker will assist with decisions on transitional arrangements such as housing, further education and work. Kenny is rather introverted, passive and goes with the flow. Under careful coordination of the social worker, he finally made up his mind to be a full-time student specializing in pharmacy. Firstly, it is his interest. Secondly, he was encouraged by the social worker. He wants to join the medical and nursing profession, and contribute to society in the future. With this goal in mind, he actively puts it into action. He allocates his time appropriately on studying and doing part-time job. After leaving this Home, he successfully moved into public housing, and gets support from a close relative.

The Strongest Backing

Always peaceful and quiet, Kenny is most reluctant to bid farewell to the comfortable life in high school, the boyhood days he spent with a group of housemates and the hot dishes from the dorm kitchen. Compared to living alone now, it seems a bit deserted. During leisure time, he loves reading and will go back to help at the children’s home. Evangel Children’s Home is like a big warm family. “Family members” look after, support and encourage each other, thus it becomes his strongest backing.