To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, we asked you for nominations of female entrepreneurs or businesswomen whose work, projects, attitude or perseverance you admired. In part six of our story, we meet MARDY CASA, FDH Ambassador with PathFinders and discover her Hong Kong story!
Where are you from and how long have you been in Hong Kong?
I am originally from the Philippines and I’ve been working in HK for more than 14 years.
Tell us about PathFinders and your role in the organisation.
PathFinders (pathfinders.org.hk) is a Hong Kong charity that is dedicated to supporting children born to migrant mothers by providing comfort and care for them in their most critical years of early childhood development. I am FDH Ambassador with PathFinders.
As PathFinders Ambassadors, we go to different locations to assist with community outreach – giving out resource cards and communicating with people, encouraging them to know their rights and to know who and where to contact when they encounter legal issues in maternity cases.
I decided to do this during COVID, as a way of helping people.
What’s your biggest achievement so far?
The biggest sense of achievement I feel is when I’m with the community, listening to the struggles that people are facing, and sharing whatever I can with them. When you can help your fellow people in a very simple way, and when they show appreciation and thank you for the support, it’s the best feeling you can have.
What particular challenges have you faced in Hong Kong?
Everyone faced the same big challenge when the pandemic first surged a few years ago, when nobody was able to carry out their jobs in a normal way, or return to their home countries to see their loved ones.
What advice would you give other women who are keen to start a project of some kind?
I’m connected to different organisations that use different methods to help the migrant community here in Hong Kong. If you have this passion to help and a willingness to learn, let’s learn together and share together and be empowered together! What are you excited about for 2023 and beyond? Besides finally going back home, I’m excited for all the projects and plans of the organisations of all community leaders. I’m especially glad for the workshops and seminars aimed at helping people who are struggling with mental health and how they might cope.
We hope you enjoyed our International Women’s Day story. Read more in our Living in Hong Kong section.
This article first appeared in the Spring 2023 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
