NEWS/ HONG KONG/ CITY
Press Release – Immediate
Improving the lives of Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities by reducing suffering and providing opportunities
Mental Health Counselling Brings Hope to Hong Kong’s Ethnically Diverse Communities
Hong Kong, 8 October 2025 – As the world observes World Mental Health Day on 10 October, we need to ask if mental health is accessible to the poorest in Hong Kong. With one-third of the ethnically diverse population living in poverty, and this population continuing to rise, what is available to them? For the wealthy non-Chinese speaking population, they can access a plethora of counselling in the private sector.
“In counselling, a client has to be able to communicate with the counsellor, and that’s why both language and the cultural understanding of the counsellor is critical if we want the client to connect and share,” says Shalini Mahtani, CEO of The Zubin Foundation, a local charity in Hong Kong with a mission to improve the lives of the ethnically diverse population in Hong Kong.
The Zubin Foundation has been providing free one-to-one counselling services to ethnically diverse communities since 2019, through the Ethnic Minority Well-being Centre. As mental health challenges rise globally, this initiative brings timely and transformative care to Hong Kong’s diverse communities.
Counselling Services for Ethnically Diverse Communities
Since December 2023, The Zubin Foundation operates the government’s Ethnic Minority Well-being Centre (EMWBC in short). Between 28 December 2023 and 30 June 2025, EMWBC has provided 1,683 counselling sessions for 230 individuals free of charge. The sessions are led by professional, qualified counsellors who can speak Hindi, Urdu or Nepali, and English. The majority of clients are women (75%), and half are under the age of 30 (50%). This is in line with the global trend of more women than men seeking help and younger individuals being more receptive to counselling than the older generations.
The breakdown of clients by ethnicity are Pakistani (31%), Indian (28%), Nepali (13%), and Filipino (13%). What is worrying Mahtani adds is that ‘clients come to us when they are already at high levels of depression, anxiety and stress, and notably, 64% of clients scored in the severe or extremely severe range on the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), highlighting the urgent need for culturally competent mental health support.’
by Gender
by Ethnicity
Clients
Improving the lives of Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities by reducing suffering and providing opportunities
Unique Challenges Facing Ethnically Diverse Communities
There are three distinct observations seen with EMWBC clients:
1. Identity Conflict: A significant number of those raised in Hong Kong experience identity conflict, struggling to reconcile their cultural heritage with local social expectations. There are clients being discriminated in schools, laughed at on public transport and feeling alienated by the culture at home. They feel like they do not belong anywhere.
2. Anger is a significant emotion, with clients expressing difficulty in managing the intensity.
3. Intergenerational Conflicts: A difference in expectations of parents and children creates emotional strain and conflict, especially in dating, marriage and clothing.
“Many individuals in ethnically diverse populations often place their own needs at a very low priority,” said Priya Agrawal, Senior Counsellor at Ethnic Minority Well-being Centre, The Zubin Foundation. “They face various challenges in life, but due to concerns about family reputation and insufficient social support networks, they often don’t talk to anyone about their needs or care for their own well-being. Through counselling, we highlight the importance of self-care and raise awareness about their emotional well-being. Many of the issues they encounter may be complex or deeply rooted, and cannot be resolved quickly. However, counselling helps them build resilience, explores options for navigating their issues, and copes with their stress in a healthy way.”
Tayyeba, a young Pakistani woman in her early twenties, recently shared her counselling journey in front of 200 ethnically diverse youth at The Zubin Foundation youth summit. “Before counselling, I often described my feelings as an internal scream – heavy and suffocating. Growing up, I felt immense pressure to be perfect. I was the eldest, expected to set an example, and often felt isolated. Counselling taught me how to calm down, how to focus on facts, and practice self-love. I learned that seeking help is not a sign of weakness; this realisation helped me improve my relationships with my family and build confidence. Today, I’m preparing for postgraduate studies in education and was accepted into a prestigious university for an exchange programme. Therapy didn’t just help me – it transformed me.”
Advik (pseudo), a mixed-ethnicity individual in his mid-20s, shared his experience at the EMWBC, “I was laid off from my job, and felt lost and overwhelmed. I withdrew from my friends, neglected my well-being, and engaged in unhealthy behaviours. This went on for three months until I saw a post on social media about emotional wellness and free counselling offered by EMWBC. I then reached out and sought help. I wasn’t sure what to expect or if sharing my struggles would help, but those feelings faded after my first session. I was warmly welcomed, and my counsellor was open-minded and empathetic. She addressed my negative feelings and taught me techniques to replace negativity with constructive thoughts. Together, we looked at my challenges from a new perspective, helping me see opportunities for growth. After a few months of counselling, I feel much better than before. While challenges still arise, I now approach them with greater confidence and a more positive mindset.”
The Zubin Foundation celebrates the courage of every individual who has taken the first step toward healing. Offering culturally sensitive care and support, the Ethnic Minority Well-being Centre empowers individuals to reclaim their mental well-being and build a brighter future.
For interview requests with Shalini Mahtani (Founder and CEO of The Zubin Foundation) / Tayyeba (Client of Ethnic Minority Well-being Centre) mentioned in this press release, please contact The Zubin Foundation to arrange further media engagement.
ABOUT
THE ZUBIN FOUNDATION
Improving the lives of Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities by reducing suffering and providing opportunities
The Zubin Foundation (registered charity in Hong Kong: IR 91/12344), named after Zubin Mahtani Gidumal, is an integrated service provider for Hong Kong's ethnic minorities. We improve the lives of Hong Kong's ethnic minorities by reducing suffering and providing opportunities. With a dedicated team of 25 staff, we have positively impacted over 12,000 individuals, empowering communities to thrive in 2023.
The Zubin Foundation 10 Years of Transforming Lives of Hong Kong’s Ethnic Minorities: As we celebrate our tenth year, The Zubin Foundation is more determined than ever to improve the lives of Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities. Over the past decade, we have transformed lives by reducing suffering and providing opportunities to Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities. Our ten-year anniversary is a powerful reminder that poverty in our community continues to rise and there are thousands of individuals who are in need of support, whether women victims of domestic violence, elderly individuals living alone, or children facing mental health problems.
The Zubin Foundation relies on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund its work. For more information, please visit: www.zubinfoundation.org.
PRESS / GENERAL ENQUIRIES
Matthew YU, The Zubin Foundation | E: matthew@zubinfoundation.org | Tel: 2540 9588 / 6084 9333