Christina Action - Our path with Vietnamese

The first boat called the "Clara Maersk" arrived in Hong Kong,
carrying 3,743 Vietnamese refugees

Christian Action became an independent organization serving the Vietnamese Refugees in Hong Kong

The Voluntary Repatriation Scheme was established

Established a full dental service for the Vietnamese in collaboration
with Rotary International and local volunteers

We established the Job Placement Unit in six centres

Our founder, Rev. Karl Stumpf opened the first Vietnamese BoatRefugee Centrein Shamshuipo in November

The New Horizons School was opened on 27 February

Christian Action managed the Kai Tak Centre and services

A total of 1,356 Vietnamese were resettled to Western countries

In accordance with the Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPA), Christian Action commenced winding down its services to the Vietnamese Boat People

As the war in Vietnam concluded, thousands of Vietnamese refugees came to the shores of Hong Kong, and in 1975 our agency began offering help to these desperate people. Little did we know that we would be deeply involved with the care of Vietnamese refugees for the next two decades until the end in 1997.

We were the first voluntary agency in Hong Kong to establish camp facilities for the refugees. The scope and quantity of Christian Action's services in the Centres changed tremendously over the years we served the Vietnamese. We had provided Employment & Handicrafts, Community Services (shops, canteens, hairdressing, special festival supplies), Vocational
Training, Dental Services, Children's Recreational Programmme
and Pregnant Womens' Programme.

Now, as the Vietnamese asylum seekers pick up
the pieces of theirlives again, the majority back in
Vietnam, and a minority resettled in Western coutries,
we close a chapterof ChristianAction's history, thankful for
the opportunity we were given to assist these unfortunate people.

We ended our Vietnamese Programme

As of 1st July 1997, the Women's & Youth Interest Group and the Children's Programme were Christian Action's only remaining Vietnamese Services