In the ongoing fallout from Hong Kong's deadliest fire at Wang Fuk Court—which killed 161 people and displaced thousands, including over 200 domestic helpers—41-year-old Indonesian Siti Zulaikho calls her life 'chaotic.' Like Filipino survivors who vowed to stay (as previously reported), she faces exhaustion and insecurity as NGOs brace for job terminations.
Siti narrowly escaped from Wang Shing House with only her phone and ID card, losing all else in the November 26 inferno. Over the past month, she has relocated four times with her employers: a shelter, hotel, transitional housing in Yuen Long and Fan Ling, and soon Tuen Mun. “I am physically tired, and my mind is also tired,” she said. “I cannot sleep soundly.”
She relies on NGOs, government, and her consulate to rebuild. Recently, she queued with dozens of Indonesian survivors for aid like suitcases and shoes from six local NGOs.
As in stories of other nationalities' survivors, NGOs like Help for Domestic Workers and Mission for Migrant Workers, plus Labour and Immigration Departments, warn of rising terminations for Indonesian, Filipino, and other migrant workers as families assess losses.
