Live my happy life

Many of Resam's friends have the habit of taking drugs. In one thought, Resam sank into the sea of poison for 15 years. Since then, Resam lived a chaotic life. His life was full of darkness and helplessness. Every day, he lived a life of walking dead, losing control of his actions and thoughts. Resam realized that he had only two choices. He either used drugs till death or sought "Reborn" after detoxification. Over the years, either forced or voluntarily, Resam went through detoxification in a drug rehabilitation center for three times. Unfortunately, soon after returning to the community, he felt difficult to resist the temptation and relapsed again. Community-based detoxification remained a great challenge for Resam.

In 2018, with the help of Yau Tsim Mong Family and Education Centre (YTMFESC), Resam was referred to a gospel drug rehabilitation center for treatment. Resam got a chance to know about Jesus Christ in the drug rehabilitation center and learned a lot of truth in his faith. In the process of rehabilitation, he felt cleansed both physically and mentally.

YTMFESC staff and Resam have been walking together on the road to detoxification. Counseling and support have been provided throughout various stages of treatment, making Resam feel safe and respected. For example, staff conducts fellowship with Resam and other roommates in the rehabilitation center during monthly visits. As time goes by, staff has built good relationship and trust with Resam through regular visits, and has been supporting him along the way. After completing the treatment, Resam has been actively participating in the activities and volunteer services of YTMFESC. He shares his own testimonies to those people who are still addicted to drugs during outreach. He wants them to change their life too, and be a good influence to others as well.

Now, Resam has successfully detoxed for three years. Apart from reconciling with his family, he also started a family and has a good balance between his career and family. Compared to the chaos and darkness of 15 years of life in drugs, Resam is now full of hope for the future and confidently treads the bright road.

In 2007, Mrs. Pun Deepa came to Hong Kong after marriage and resided in the Yau Tsim Mong district. Through one of her friends, she heard about our Centre. Mrs. Pun Deepa became one of our regular service users since 2010. At that time, her baby boy was just 9 months old. In fact, lacking of support from friends and relatives, it was a challenge for new arrivals like Mrs. Pun Deepa to get used to living in Hong Kong. Moreover, she also faced with the challenges in raising children and parenting.

Given our Centre was running support groups, trainings and activities for women, one of our Nepalese Colleagues encouraged Mrs. Pun Deepa to join the women’s support group. Since then, she established a network in the district. The network allowed her to share her experience with women who have similar situations as well as to discuss their joys and sorrows of taking care of children. Gradually, she became a volunteer and an ambassador for helping newly arrived ethnic minority woman who was in need of resources.

She was enthusiastic about different activities, such as dancing, dramas and volunteer activities. Her children also have participated in the parent-child group activities of the center. Her eldest son will be promoted to Secondary 1 in September, 2022. He is also one of the mentees of Child Development Fund in 8^th batch. He is interested in cooking and football, so he is planning to have further development in these areas.

Now, Deepa had successfully applied for public housing and moved out of the Yau Tsim Mong area. Her experience in Yau Tsim Mong Family Education and Support Centre in the past 12 years has helped her family adapt to other areas. She has been grateful for all the support offered to her. Apart from helping her to discover her interests, she wants to give thanks to all staff in introducing her a group of friends who later accompanied her in witnessing the family's growth.

What is your dream?

Sonam grew up in Nepal and came to Hong Kong to reunite with her family after graduating from high school. Sonam, like other wage earners, works hard every day for a living. In 2016, through a friend's introduction, she came to know about Yau Tsim Mong Family and Education Centre (YTMFESC) and enrolled in the center's nail technician training course. Initially, she had no idea about the skills of nail art, gel art or even manicure techniques. After our staff explained to her about the course, she decided to give it a try. She thought that if she successfully graduated, she could rely on this skill to support her family financially after her children went to school. Even if she failed to graduate, she had nothing to lose. It’s win-win situation for her and YTMFESC.

After completing the course, Sonam did not join the nail industry immediately but returned to family as a full time mother. Even so, in the following days, Sonam actively participated in the volunteer services at the center, especially those related to manicure and nail art, which allowed her to practice her skills and apply what she had learned. Sonam has diverse opportunities to communicate with people of different cultural background through the services of the centre, thereby, increasing her self-confidence. All these eye-opening experience are valuable to her and lay the foundation for starting her dream career as a nail technician in the future.

In 2021, under the encouragement of YTMFESC staff, Sonam started her own small business in providing manicure services to ethnic minority women in the community. At the end of the same year, she started to teach basic manicure techniques as a private tutor. Along the way, she has regained her childhood passion for fine art in the course, found success in volunteering. All these experience boosted her self-confidence. Sonam thanked YTMFESC staffs and trainers for their selfless teaching, which supported her to turn her hobby into a career and become a modern woman who can balance both family and career.