Amid the city’s lingering grief over the deadly Wang Fuk Court blaze, World Vision Hong Kong has announced that its upcoming Global 6K for Water charity run on December 14 will go ahead as planned at Tamar Park, with every dollar of participant entry fees now matched by the organization and redirected to help children and families affected by the Tai Po tragedy.
The annual 6-kilometer event, which raises money to bring clean water and sanitation to communities in need around the world, will this year serve a second urgent purpose.
World Vision has pledged to donate an amount equal to the total registration fees collected from runners specifically to support survivors of the Wang Fuk Court fire.
Since the disaster, the charity has moved quickly on the ground in Tai Po.
Working through local partners such as Baptist Charis Social Service Limited and schools, churches and community groups, it is already distributing emergency education grants to more than a hundred students from the estate so they can replace lost uniforms, books, and school supplies.
Further rounds of financial aid for affected children are being prepared in partnership with schools.
Emotional support is also being rolled out. In collaboration with Faith Health Counselling and Training Centre, World Vision is offering crisis counseling to residents.
This week it ran online workshops on December 4 and 5 to equip teachers, counselors, therapists and social workers with trauma care and play therapy techniques to help young survivors regain a sense of safety and resilience.
Staff at Tai Po Baptist Public School, whose pupils have been particularly hard hit, have already received a dedicated psychological support session, while younger primary students took part in activity workshops designed to help them recognize and express their feelings healthily.
World Vision says it will publish a detailed report on its website in the coming weeks so the public can see exactly how donations are being used.
