Hong Kong students honour over 400 foreign domestic helpers as ‘second mothers’

More than 400 foreign domestic helpers gathered at an international school campus in Hong Kong on Friday as 50 students paid tribute to their contributions as “second mothers” who help shape a multicultural environment at home.The organising student committee for the event at the English Schools Foundation’s Renaissance College in Ma On Shan said it hoped to inspire the wider community to cherish their domestic workers.The “Jie Jie Day” event, held annually by the school for 14 years, was also attended by teachers, parents and representatives from the Philippines consulate. “Jie Jie”, meaning elder sister in Cantonese, is a term of affection for domestic helpers in the city.The event gathered more than 400 domestic helpers to participate in cultural games, raffle draws and networking opportunities.Oscar So, a student committee head, said the appreciation day aimed to eliminate the artificial distance between employers and helpers by providing a space for genuine connection and relaxation.“We’re celebrating who they are, but we’re [usually] not individually connecting as individuals, and by making this event a way in which they can relax, I think, [we] create that sense of connection,” he said.