As a women-oriented organization, Hong Kong YWCA has all along adhered to its original aspiration of addressing various needs of women, and launched different appropriate services to nurture abundant life and manifest the love and care of Christ.

The provision of our services is based on Christian faith. Hong Kong YWCA was established by four devout Christian women who felt the calling of God. They cared for the needs of the community, particularly women from all walks of life, and warmly offered hospitality to young women travelling via Hong Kong on their way to study abroad. Their genuine concern and sincere welcome towards the people in need are still embedded in our diverse range of services to date, reaching out to different communities and service targets through our nearly 110 service units across the territory. We remain committed to serving the community under the guidance of our Heavenly Father and demonstrating Christian values in our services.

We endeavour to connect churches with the community by providing a platform for them to engage the community in learning about Christ. Thoughout the year, our service units worked closely with dozens of partner churches and evangelical organizations to launch various Christian faith-based activities to spread the gospel. We also attach importance to spiritual care and cultivation within the Association. Apart from the Foundation Day Prayer Meeting, Prayer Meeting for Board, Committee and Staff and Thanksgiving Meeting to promote Christian culture and mission of the Association, the Board of Directors’ Fellowship also held regular gatherings to share their spiritual journey and pray for the Association. With the annual retreat of the Fellowship organized under the theme of “Return. Reflect. Renew” this year, we thanked our Lord for giving us the opportunity for mutual sharing and support through prayers, reflection and meditation.

Besides, fellowships, spiritual care activities and evangelistic meetings were held for our staff to gain strength in faith and support each other, while Christian staff played the role of Y-Fire Ambassadors to initiate various evangelistic activities according to the respective spiritual needs of each unit, to fulfil their calling at work. In addition, for the first time this year, we launched the “Christian Values and Cultural Setting” programme, which aimed to enhance the understanding of Christian culture and values among our staff and the public through the display of Christian-themed images and Bible verses in the units. As the motto of the World YWCA goes – “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty, I sincerely hope that the Association will continue to follow the footsteps of Jesus, to uphold and pass on the original purpose of YWCA’s services.

As a long-established women’s organization in Hong Kong and a member of World YWCA, the Association is dedicated to nurturing women leaders with a global vision and showing concern for the society. Leveraging the Association’s international network, we joined hands with different countries to speak out for the needs of women and community, advancing an inclusive, equal and caring society.

Since the young women’s leadership project was launched for the first time in 2004, the project is now in its seventh year to promote leadership development among women to initiate changes. Based on the concept of “Think Global. Act Local”, this year’s Hong Kong Women’s Voice “Glocal Y” Training Project recruited more than 20 trainees despite the impact of epidemic. Through leadership training, seminars, visits and workshops, they reflected on issues such as gender roles and sexual violence from a macro perspective, and understood the challenges faced by women around the world. They also learned to use a gender lens to examine daily and social issues, and take concrete actions to enhance gender equality. 

Indeed, previous cohorts of the training project have already nurtured a group of young women leaders who are concerned about the needs of the local community and the world. They have not only given full play to their potential and achieved personal growth, but also partnered with the Association to pass on YWCA Movement. This not only addressed the goal envisioned by World YWCA for promoting the sustainable development of YWCA Movement but also realized the Association’s mission of “Enhancement of Life”.

In addition, in March 2023, the Association formed a delegation comprising our Board Director, staff and Glocal Y graduate to attend the 67th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) in New York, USA. As one of the major events annually organized by the United Nations, the priority theme of this year’s session was “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”. More than 7,000 participants from different countries exchanged views on the challenges and opportunities brought about by the digital age to women’s development, and worked together to attain the goals of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

In view of the ever-changing social environment and increasing demand for social services, good corporate governance becomes particularly important for social service organizations which provide services for the public. By formulating sound and appropriate organizational development strategies, as well as systems and procedures concerning leadership, management, accountability and control, the Association effectively achieves its mission, responds to the needs of society and enables sustainable development.

In the past year, with the guidance and blessing of God, we managed to ride out the epidemic and launch various services when the society resumed to normalcy. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our Honorary Presidents, Honorary Directors, Board Directors, committee members, members, volunteers and staff for their commitment and dedication, as well as the support and recognition from various government departments, partner organizations and enterprises, and different sectors of the society for joining hands with us. The Association will continue to pursue its founding mission and strive for the betterment of the community.