One-Month Report on Tai Po Wang Fuk Court Fire Relief: Standing with Children Through Education and Emotional Support

The Level 5 fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on 26 November caused severe casualties and widespread devastation. As one of the world’s leading development organisations advocating for the rights of girls and children, Plan International is deeply concerned about the long-term impact of disasters on children’s learning and emotional well-being. Hence, we responded by launching an immediate emergency relief, delivering essential supplies and providing educational and psychosocial support to affected children and their families.

On the night of the fire and the following day, our Local Programme Team immediately reached out to Fu Shin Community Hall, Jockey Club Tai Wo Centre, New Territories PHAB Centre, Po Leung Kuk Lee Shau Kee Youth Oasis and Yang Memorial Methodist Social Service (YMMSS)* to assess the urgent needs of those affected. With donations from compassionate corporates, relief supplies were quickly mobilised and delivered to the affected residents, benefiting 550 people.

We provided emergency relief supplies, including daily necessities, women’s hygiene products, and baby items, to the affected residents, delivering timely assistance. We are immensely grateful to AEON Stores (Hong Kong) Co., Limited, Choi Fung, Kimberly-Clark (Hong Kong), and mothercare Hong Kong* for their swift and generous support.

Fire-affected Children Urgently Need Educational and Emotional Support

In the disaster, the affected children witnessed the destruction of their homes and lost cherished toys, books, clothing, and school supplies, and even suffered the immense trauma of losing relatives and friends. Disrupted daily routines have left children anxious, sleepless and emotionally distressed, creating an urgent need for educational and psychosocial support.

Dr. Kanie Siu, Chief Executive Officer of Plan International Hong Kong, said “This fire has caused severe casualties, and many families have lost their homes. It was truly heartbreaking to witness their helplessness and despair. As a child‑centred organisation, Plan International is particularly concerned about the situation of the affected children and will make every effort to support their educational and psychosocial needs.”

Cash Assistance for More Than 340 Students and Special Support for SEN Pupils to Keep Learning on Track

To ensure education continues and ease families’ financial burden, Plan International collaborated with partner organisations, including YMMSS, Tai Po Youths Association and HKYWCA, to deliver HK$2,000 cash assistance for each eligible student through local kindergartens, primary and secondary schools. Applications had been received from over 50 schools, and more than 340 students have received our cash assistance.

Our Special Cash Assistance Programme also provide support for children with special educational needs (SEN), offering targeted assistance through schools and social workers to help them stay on track with their learning.

Dr. Kanie Siu visited five schools in Tai Po to hand over cash assistance and meet principals, teachers and social workers for in-depth discussions. Schools reported that some affected children were experiencing nightmares and anxiety, which need care and attention.

When Dr. Kanie Siu visited five schools in the Tai Po district to deliver cash assistance for affected students, the schools expressed heartfelt gratitude, noting that Plan International was the first NGO to provide support to their students.

2,400 Stress Relief Packs to Restore Joy for Children

In response to the emotional impact of the fire on children, we have collaborated with our partner organisations to distribute Stress Relief Packs to children across kindergartens in Tai Po. Facilitated through the network of Project FamChild Social Work Services in Pre-primary Institutions under YMMSS, these packs, each containing colouring pens, a stuffed toy or other toy, a set of parent-child stress relief leaflet and caregiver emotion support tips and greeting cards, help children find comfort and gradually restore security. To date, we have delivered nearly 2,200 packs to children aged 3 to 6.

Children were delighted with the soft toys in their Stress Relief Packs. Our Programme Team also gently guided the children to read through the stress relief leaflet, showing simple ways to ease negative emotions. Surrounded by care and love, the children soon relaxed and smiled again.

Special thanks to A.W. Faber-Castell (H.K.) Limited, Bliss & Bless International Limited, Hung Fook Tong Holdings Ltd, Kest Cheung and Boogey Brains, mothercare Hong Kong, Reckitt Benckiser Hong Kong Limited, The Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club, Toys“R”Us Asia, Uplift Educational Charity Foundation and YuMe Toys for their kind contributions. To help parents manage their children’s emotions, we also worked with YMMSS to design the parent-child stress relief leaflet and caregiver tips.

In addition, social workers have shared with us that some parents feel uncertain about how to comfort their young children effectively after the disaster. Infants and toddlers, however, are highly sensitive to their caregivers’ emotions, quickly absorbing any stress or distress when adults struggle to regulate their own feelings. To address this need, we distributed specially designed Stress Relief Packs to 200 children aged 0 – 3 in Tai Po. Each pack includes baby toys, caregiver emotional‑support tips, cheering cards, plus cotton balls and baby lotion— simple tools for parents to engage parent‑child interaction and help create a safe, comforting, and empathetic environment for children coping with anxiety and unease.

Our Programme Team recently distributed the Stress Relief Packs to 200 children aged 0 – 3, through Hong Kong Christian Service Solis Playland (Tai Po) and Yang Memorial Methodist Social Service’s Project FamChild Social Work Services in pre-primary institutions (Tai Po and the Northern District). We extend special thanks to Bliss & Bless International Limited and Mannings* for providing material supplies, and the corporate volunteers from Meiriki Japan who helped assemble the packs.

Long-Term Recovery: Emotional Support Workshops in Schools to Help Children Heal

To address ongoing emotional needs, we will provide long-term post-disaster support in Tai Po, including school-based emotional workshops at kindergartens. Through guided activities such as clay modelling and storytelling, children can safely express their feelings and release pent-up anxiety, helping restore security. During the workshops, we will carefully observe each child’s emotional state and identify those who need extended psychological support and arrange appropriate follow-up.

Plan International will continue working with partner organisations to provide comprehensive support for children affected by the disaster. We call on all sectors of society to join us in safeguarding children’s safety and helping them heal and rebuild a normal life.

* Listed in alphabetical order of company or organisation names.