Tai Po Wang Fuk Court Fire Quarterly Report: Committed to Supporting Affected Children and Families

It has been over four months since the devastating fire at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court, but Plan International remains steadfast in our support for the affected children and families. In the aftermath, we have actively collaborated with local schools and partners to deliver educational and psychological assistance, guiding the affected children and families towards recovery and restoring normalcy to their daily lives.

In response, we sprang into action, launching emergency relief immediately following the disaster. Alongside providing timely and appropriate supplies, we also distributed HK$2,000 cash assistance to each of the 350 impacted students, ensuring their learning was not interrupted. Moreover, we partnered with Tai Po kindergartens to deliver Stress Relief Packs to 2,400 children aged 0 to 6, helping them alleviate post-disaster emotions and gradually regain their inner peace and bright smiles.

Special Cash Assistance to Support Families in Greatest Need

As our efforts continued over the past four months, we recognised that approximately 10 to 20 per cent of affected families were facing severe difficulties. Therefore, we launched the Special Cash Assistance Programme, identifying students who had been severely impacted, those with special educational needs (SEN), or those facing critical academic milestones (such as secondary school placement tests or the DSE) through referrals from schools and frontline social workers. Currently, we have approved applications from 40 students, and we continue to process additional cases to deliver timely and appropriate support.

Take the case of Ting Ting (pseudonym), a primary school student who originally lived in Wang Fuk Court. The fire forced her family to temporarily relocate, separating them from the community and her grandparents. This disruption led to increased financial burdens as her parents had to arrange afterschool care. Moreover, Ting Ting lost all her school supplies in the fire, significantly affecting her learning progress. Fortunately, with the support of Plan International’s Special Cash Assistance, Ting Ting’s family has found relief. As her mother shared, “Thanks to Plan International and its kind donors, my daughter has been able to continue her tutoring, so that her secondary school entrance exams would not be severely affected. The childcare support has also allowed her to study in a safe environment, giving our family more time to manage the various challenges.”

Another beneficiary, Long Hei (pseudonym), is a SEN student who has faced immense upheaval. After the fire, he was forced to move away from his familiar community, relocating multiple times, which greatly disrupted his previously stable life and exacerbated his low mood. The frequent moves also strained the family’s finances, making it difficult to continue funding his extracurricular activities which are crucial for his emotional regulation and daily routine. Fortunately, our Special Cash Assistance Programme has enabled Long Hei to re-engage in appropriate after-school activities, gradually restoring his sense of security. “We are very grateful for this Special Cash Assistance Programme, which has allowed our children to find stability in their daily lives. We hope to return to normalcy as much as possible,” his father shared.

Emotional Support Programme to Help Children Recover

In addition to educational support, we have observed that many children have exhibited symptoms such as heightened startle reflexes, withdrawal, and behavioural regression, as emotional stress has surfaced in their daily lives. To assist affected families in navigating this psychological challenge, we launched the Tai Po Emotional Support Programme in February, tailored to children of different age groups.

Recognising the particular vulnerability of young children under six, we partnered with the Yang Memorial Methodist Social Service (YMMSS) in March to initiate a year-long Family Comfort Support Programme for kindergarten families. This programme will employ a range of family therapy methods, helping affected families heal their emotional trauma with the support of loved ones. It is expected to serve approximately 25 families, benefiting around 100 individuals.

Furthermore, to support affected students and their families across the district, we have collaborated with YMMSS to assist the recovery efforts in Tai Po through school-based services and community activities. These initiatives combine emotional support, life education, and community connection, and are targeted to reach over 800 students, teachers, and parents from 16 kindergartens and primary and secondary schools.

As part of this effort, we have designed a series of experiential workshops catered to the psychological safety needs and sense of community of young children. These workshops encourage participation from parents, children, and staff, utilising games, sensory stimulation, and parent-child interaction to help children process their emotions and equip parents with practical comforting techniques.

Meanwhile, we are creating safe and familiar spaces for expression in schools, enabling teachers, students, and parents to share their feelings openly, work through their emotions, and gradually rebuild connections within the community. We are also providing training for teachers and frontline workers to help them identify, intervene, and support students with emotional needs. For those with urgent psychological requirements, we offer professional one-on-one counselling services to ensure appropriate and continuous support.

Rebuilding Hope for Affected Children and Families

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our generous donors, corporate partners, and partners for their steadfast support, which has empowered us to continue providing essential assistance to the affected children and families in Tai Po. Looking ahead, we remain committed to closely monitoring the evolving needs of the community, supporting them in embracing hope and rebuilding stable, peaceful lives step by step.