The recent fire in Tai Po not only destroyed thousands of homes but also deprived children in the district of their daily necessities and essential school supplies. To help affected children return to normality as quickly as possible, Save the Children Hong Kong has initiated emergency support tailored to their learning needs. In addition to distributing stationery donated by students from Kellett School (Kowloon Bay campus) to affected schools, we plan to provide HK$10,000 to each student impacted by the disaster across 11 primary and secondary schools in Tai Po. This will address urgent educational needs, enabling them to continue their studies, restore daily routines to rebuild a sense of security, and ease the financial burden on families.
On the psychological front, we will distribute plush toys to kindergarten students in Tai Po to offer emotional comfort. At the same time, we are launching a medium- to long-term psychological support programme in collaboration with the Department of Counselling and Psychology at Hong Kong Shue Yan University to provide counselling services to affected students, helping them recover from trauma and rekindle hope.
Emergency Learning Support to Help Students Resume Normality and Rebuild Security
Restoring regular learning and social activities as soon as possible helps children feel life is back on track and reduces anxiety. Interaction with peers and care from teachers and counsellors at school enables children to express emotions and receive emotional support, rebuilding their sense of security. We have proactively contacted 11 affected schools in the district to consolidate urgent needs. In addition to distributing stationery supplies donated by students from Kellett School (Kowloon Bay campus) to affected schools, we will soon provide HK$10,000 per affected student to cover school uniforms, books, schoolbags and other education essentials. These funds will be distributed via schools to those in need, alleviating parents’ financial pressure and addressing immediate concerns. This ensures no child misses out on education because of the fire and helps them regain stability in school life quickly.
Some of the beneficiary primary and secondary schools include: Tai Po Baptist Public School, Po Leung Kuk Tin Ka Ping Primary School, Yan Chai Hospital Choi Hin To Primary School, Po Leung Kuk Tin Ka Ping Millennium Primary School, H.K. & Kowloon Kaifong Women’s Association Sun Fong Chung College, Assembly of God Hebron Secondary School
Healing Emotional Trauma – Long-Term Support for Children’s Mental Health
Material aid is only the first step. Save the Children Hong Kong recognises the psychological impact disasters have on children. Our medium- to long-term support will focus on mental health, helping children recover from trauma. In partnership with the Department of Counselling and Psychology at Hong Kong Shue Yan University, we will provide psychological counselling services for affected children. In addition, our Healing Heart and Mind programme has already been introduced in primary schools in the affected area and will soon expand to more Tai Po schools. Through diverse activities such as visual arts, music and storytelling, we aim to help children express feelings, heal emotional distress and rebuild hope.
Kalina Tsang, CEO of Save the Children Hong Kong, said:
“Post-disaster recovery is not just about rebuilding infrastructure – it is about helping affected children resume normal life. For students, wearing a neat uniform, carrying a schoolbag and learning and playing with classmates are vital steps towards psychological recovery. We are deeply grateful for the swift action of Hong Kong Shue Yan University’s Department of Counselling and Psychology. At the same time, we extend our heartfelt condolences to families who lost loved ones in this tragedy and wish the injured a speedy recovery.”
Please support Save the Children Hong Kong in helping children affected by the Tai Po blaze: https://savethechildren.click/Tai-Po-Blaze-en
