Hong Kong NGO helps young women from ethnic minorities build their career

Now, Vasudev works at PwC, which is one of the top four global accounting firms.

She said the job was not only the result of hard work but also the help of the Empower programme. It is run by the Amber Foundation, an NGO that supports underprivileged communities in Hong Kong and South Asia.

Elizabeth Thomson is the chairwoman and a founder of the foundation. She created Empower to raise awareness about the talent of women from ethnic minority groups.

“There’s a need to start making people wake up and say: these are Hong Kong people that are contributing [to society], and it isn’t just one race that’s here,” she said.

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Empower launched its first programme in 2018. It now has helped 120 women in their careers.

Women from ethnic minority groups who are university students can apply for the free programme. They work with mentors, attend workshops and get help to find internships.

Thomson wanted Empower to focus on ethnic minority groups as they face more challenges when looking for jobs.

“One of the barriers is just outright racial discrimination ... [There’s also] just lack of exposure,” Thomson said.

She had heard stories from women wearing hijabs who were asked to “take off their hats” at work. Thomson said the employers were ignorant.

Anjaly Saseendran is a Hongkonger born in India and was an Empower member from 2018 to 2020. The 27-year-old said some companies rejected ethnic minority women simply because of the name on their application. She noted that some were from underprivileged families and did not know people who could help their careers.

“They won’t even know that there are this many job opportunities,” Saseendran said.

Vasudev was born in India and moved to Hong Kong as an infant. She explained that ethnic minority women often had other responsibilities, such as caring for family.

“There’s a lot of family pressure. We might be the first generation to go to university,” she said. “We can’t ask for help ... because our parents never went to school here.”

Empower helps women learn practical skills that can be used in real-world situations.

Vasudev and Saseendran said they learned a lot from the practice interviews and the CV writing workshops. A CV is a summary of a person’s jobs and education; it shows employers why they should hire someone.

“They’re looking at your CV ... [and] at how you do interviews. They’re giving feedback,” Vasudev said.

The programme helped her develop skills that she would not have learned in school. She added that her mentor was also very important for her growth.

“In university, you’re learning hard skills. Empower is teaching you soft skills that you need to survive in the workspace,” she said.

Many of the programme alumni have found good jobs in areas such as law, research and business.

Vasudev explained that the NGO’s connections helped her get an internship at PwC, which led to her current job.

Saseendran is now a research assistant at the University of Hong Kong.

Saseendran considers herself to be shy, but she felt that Empower helped her get out of her shell. “It definitely boosted my confidence because they always try to highlight our skills,” she said.

Vasudev encouraged others to apply for Empower.

“Not only will you get the support you need in terms of career and the mentorship, but it’s also the connections that would be really helpful for your career,” she said.

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Why this story matters: Women from ethnic minority groups face many challenges in building their careers. This NGO is giving them support to help them succeed.