Hemyar creats ripple effects on refugees and asylums seekers communities

Creating ripple effects on refugees and asylums seekers communities: Hemyar’s belief in creating leaders of tomorrow

“We are helping each other as if we are on the same boat, sailing through the sea and making our way to the beach altogether. Through the process, we stand in solidarity and become stronger—I believe in the idea that everyone has the potential to make something happen.”

Hemyar

Fellowship Program 2018 >

Introduction

Six years ago, Hemyar moved to Hong Kong from the Middle East due to rising unrest. With no knowledge of how to speak English, he managed to learn the language within half a year and received scholarships from his school. Now he is a student majoring in Business Management in The University of Sunderland Hong Kong, as well as one of the Co-founders of Learning Together, an organization aimed to help other ethnic community members since 2015. During the weekend, he teaches English classes and organizes different activities for marginalized communities in Hong Kong. “Through basic literacy courses, we hope to build a foundation for those needed and help to empower them. Later on, they can further inspire and create impact on others’ lives. It is exhilarating to see some of my students now from different communities come together and teach their next generation,” he said. It was also through Learning Together that Hemyar was nominated to join the Social Justice Fellowship in 2018.

joining fellowship

Being the youngest member in the 2018 cohort on racial equality, Hemyar recalled himself feeling more mature during the Fellowship. “Day by day I felt more committed to do something useful and meaningful. We were all working on something that is going to make differences,” he said. One of the key takeaways from the Fellowship is enhancing communication skills. Language barrier is one thing. But learning how to convey your ideas and convince others to help you realize your goals are also crucial for a social justice leader. “It is not that easy to communicate with everyone. But during the Fellowship, I learned different skills to converse with others and ways to raise awareness,” he adds.

Hemyar also gained confidence through the Fellowship. Another essential quality for a social justice leader is to speak up and deliver your message even though you are standing in front of a large crowd. He also cherished the networking opportunities with people from different countries. “The Fellowship helps me to discover the world and understand other cultures. When I first came to Hong Kong, I only knew friends with cultures that I am familiar with. All the experiences I encountered in the program are totally new and unique to me,” he said.

After joining the 2018 Fellowship, Hemyar has delivered speeches advocating racial equality and acknowledging discrimination against ethnic minorities in many universities and schools in Hong Kong. “Some people lack the knowledge about refugees and hold prejudice against ethnic minorities without knowing so. We are all the same regardless of color, race, gender and etc. We are living in the same place and it is important for us to be connected despite our differences in language and culture,” he said.

In addition, Hemyar broadened the scope of the programs of Learning Together. Not only did he provide training workshops to refugees and asylum seekers, but he also led a team of around 30 people of his organization to work on community outreach programs by giving food to the homeless in Hong Kong. He was also invited to share about how diverse Hong Kong is at the Government House for Project WeCan, which gives opportunities for students coming from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education. This year, Resolve nominated Hemyar and he became one of the finalists for the Spirits of Hong Kong Award by the South China Morning Post.

“As you are moving, you are learning,” said Hemyar, as he envisioned a future where everyone can drive their own potential and develop their own success through their lives. On 18 September 2020, Hemyar and another 2018 Fellow, Darius, received Resolve’s Opportunity Fund, a small grant that helps to facilitate fellows’ initiatives and amplify ripple effects they are already making in their communities to continue to support their work. They are currently working on an initiative together with four others to set up a platform, Replead Hong Kong, for refugees and asylum seekers in Hong Kong. After graduation, he would like to work in human rights organizations and become an activist who makes a difference in the world.