From Poverty to Possibility: Christian Action’s Work in Hong Kong

By Max Dong

Chinese International School

Imagine a tiny house with broken roofs and windows. The door is worn out, and the space inside is barely enough to fit any furniture. 847 million people were estimated to be living in extreme poverty like that in 2024. Poverty is not just a social issue. It is a widespread disease that infects underprivileged people around the world. When a human being cannot meet cardinal survival needs, then immediate action is mandatory. Hong Kong continues to face serious poverty and inequality despite its wealthy reputation. In the first quarter of 2024, the city's overall poverty rate reached 20.2%, affecting more than 1.39 million people, while the wealth gap widened sharply to 81.9 times between the richest and poorest households. Older people remain especially vulnerable, with Oxfam reporting that the number of elderly people living in poverty exceeded 580,000. Poverty in Hong Kong is not only about income; it

also includes housing insecurity, access to education, and social exclusion. Research platforms on poverty and social exclusion in Hong Kong show that poverty affects well-being, health, and life chances, especially for children, low-income families, and marginalised groups. Christian Actions' own service materials also note that grassroots families in Hong Kong face pressure from high living costs and daily barriers in education and family life.

Meet Christian Action, an organisation whose mission is to serve people who are poor, disadvantaged, marginalised, displaced or abandoned. It has worked towards this goal since it was founded in 1985 in Hong Kong. By building rural clinics, schools and conducting other activities and services, it has served more than 1 million people and established itself as a dedicated Hong Kong-based NGO working on poverty, education and care for vulnerable groups. Christian Action’s vision aligns with the UN’s 1st SDG: No poverty. Christian Action addresses the local face of a global problem: low-income families, migrant workers, refugees and children who face unequal access to support, education and stability.

Christian Action has addressed poverty and social inequality in Hong Kong through a wide range of local services that support vulnerable communities at different stages of life. Its work is especially focused on low-income families, children, migrant domestic workers, refugees, ethnic minorities, and other marginalised groups who often face barriers that are not always visible to the wider public. Rather than treating poverty as only a financial issue, Christian

Action approaches it as a broader social challenge involving education, access, dignity, and opportunity.

Fig 1. Christian Action's educational support programs for grassroots children in Hong Kong

One of the organisation's most important areas of work is support for grassroots families and children. Hong Kong is one of the most expensive cities in the world, and many families struggle to meet basic needs such as stable housing, school support, and daily living costs. Christian Actions family and children services aim to ease these pressures through practical assistance, community outreach, and support programs that help children and parents cope with hardship. These initiatives are designed not only to meet immediate needs, but also to reduce the long-term effects of poverty on children's development and well-being.

Christian Action has also built a strong reputation in training and employment support. Its vocational and training services help people gain skills, improve employability, and move toward more stable futures. This is especially important for people who may face discrimination, language barriers, or limited access to opportunity. By providing

training and job-related support, the organisation helps people become more self-reliant rather than relying only on short-term aid. In this way, Christian Actions projects do not simply respond to poverty; they attempt to break the cycle that keeps people trapped in it.

Fig 2. The Child Development Fund initiative aimed at alleviating inter-generational poverty

Another key part of its work is support for migrant domestic workers. Many of these workers are isolated from family, live under pressure, and may have few support networks in Hong Kong. Christian Actions' outreach and advocacy efforts help them access information, community, and protection. This matters because migrant workers are a vital part of Hong Kong society, yet they often remain socially invisible. Through these projects, Christian Action gives them a voice and a point of connection.

The impact of Christian Actions' work can be seen both in scale and in depth. According to the organisation, it has served over one million people in Hong Kong and operates nearly 30 service points, showing that its support reaches a wide and diverse population. Its training services also show substantial long-term impact, with hundreds of thousands of course completers and placements over time. These numbers suggest that Christian Action is not a

small or symbolic charity, but an organisation with real community reach.

More importantly, its impact is not only measured in statistics. For a child from a low-income family, receiving support may mean better educational stability and less stress at home. For a migrant domestic worker, it may mean access to community, information, and dignity. For someone trying to re-enter the workforce, it may mean a practical path toward employment and independence. These smaller changes matter because they improve daily life in ways

that are often overlooked in broad poverty discussions.

Christian Actions work also matter because it addresses the hidden side of inequality. Poverty in Hong Kong is not just about income level; it is also about unequal access to opportunity, social support, and mobility. By working with groups that are often excluded or ignored, Christian Action helps reduce this invisibility. In that sense, its impact is both practical and symbolic: it provides direct support while also reminding society that poverty is a shared responsibility.

Part 5: Challenges and Future Plans

Despite its strong work, Christian Action likely faces several challenges in addressing poverty and social exclusion. One major challenge is that poverty in Hong Kong is structural, not temporary. High housing costs, low wages, and unequal access to opportunities mean that charity alone cannot solve the problem completely. This makes it difficult for any service organisation to create lasting change without broader policy and social support. Another challenge is reaching people who may need help but are reluctant to seek it because of shame, language barriers, or lack of awareness.

A further difficulty is sustainability. Service needs are constant, but resources, volunteers, and funding are always limited. This means Christian Action must balance immediate service delivery with long-term planning. It also has to keep adapting its programs to changing social needs, such as economic pressure, migration patterns, and the specific needs of children or workers in different communities. These challenges require flexibility as well as commitment.

Looking forward, Christian Action can deepen its impact by expanding partnerships with schools, community groups, and other NGOs. It can also continue developing targeted programs for the groups most affected by poverty, especially children, migrant workers, and low-income families. More advocacy could also help raise public awareness that poverty is not just an individual failure but a social issue that requires collective action. If Christian Action continues combining direct service with education and advocacy, it can remain an important force in supporting vulnerable people in Hong Kong.