‘I felt so alone’: domestic workers in Hong Kong suffering mental health issues like depression can find support in MeHeal, a new, free counselling service

On World Mental Health Day, October 10, Hong Kong charity Help for Domestic Workers will formally launch free counselling service MeHeal

Catalina, a domestic worker who had early access to the service, says she felt really listened to, and learned breathing techniques and other coping skills

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Domestic workers on a footbridge during their day off in Mong Kok, Hong Kong. MeHeal, a free counselling service set up by a Hong Kong charity, provides free mental health support to those who fear losing their jobs if employers see them as vulnerable. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 3:15pm, 8 Oct 2023

Imagine never getting to leave the office. It sounds grim. After a long day at work, many of us look forward to spending time with our loved ones or friends to unwind and relax. It is an essential part of managing stress levels and maintaining good mental health.

But for 400,000 workers in Hong Kong, this is a luxury out of their reach. They literally live at the “office”.

It is likely that you know someone in this situation. She – because 98.5 per cent of these workers are women – could well be living under your roof.

Hong Kong’s foreign domestic workers face many of the same stressors that we all face in life, but with additional challenges. Many of these workers have left their children behind in the Philippines and are the sole breadwinners for families of six to 10 people back home. However, there is little support available for them when they struggle with their mental health.

This issue was brought to the forefront at the start of the pandemic.

“We had a lot of domestic workers saying there is a lot of awareness about the importance of mental health, but no service available for them,” says Manisha Wijesinghe, executive director of Help for Domestic Workers.

‘I felt so alone’: domestic workers in Hong Kong suffering mental health issues like depression can find support in MeHeal, a new, free counselling service

On World Mental Health Day, October 10, Hong Kong charity Help for Domestic Workers will formally launch free counselling service MeHeal Catalina, a domestic worker who had early access to the service, says she felt really listened to, and learned breathing techniques and other coping skills

On World Mental Health Day, October 10, Hong Kong charity Help for Domestic Workers will formally launch free counselling service MeHeal

Catalina, a domestic worker who had early access to the service, says she felt really listened to, and learned breathing techniques and other coping skills