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Mary Ann Benitez

Small charity provides accommodation and counselling
Jane, not her  real name, is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
She was a carefree 26-year-old living in Manila when a South Asian man from Hong Kong began sizing her up for possible marriage, after being introduced by her aunt.
'My marriage is an arranged marriage. It is not a love marriage,' said Jane, who is not ethnically Filipino.
'He came to see me, he took two months to decide whether he wanted me or not. We were not even boyfriend-girlfriend but we went out together for lunch, dinners and went to nightclubs,  thinking this way he may get to know me.'
After a short period, the man decided 'he liked me'  enough for marriage.
She was flown to the man's native land in South Asia in May last year for the wedding.
Six months later, her nightmarish journey began:  she was abandoned in  Hong Kong and her husband decided he wanted a divorce.
Her husband filed judicial separation papers in Hong Kong and also revoked her dependant's visa.
She had nowhere to go, with no immediate family  in the city.
Although she has a university degree, she has never worked, as her conservative father did not want her to and preferred that she got married.
Her father also had to sell what little was left of his property in Manila for her dowry. Penniless and desolate, she lived with a friend for a while in Hong Kong.
Her journey led her to SoulTalk Foundation's Loving Home,  a refuge for women in emotional and relationship crises.
She has been living at the shelter for the past four months, as she waits  a hearing in February for the judicial separation and maintenance.
Jane said she wanted her husband to give her a second chance.
'I don't want to have a divorce so soon. I cannot accept it, as I was not even given a chance to try to make my marriage [work],' she said.
'This shelter is excellent. They help us if we have some problems, if we need someone to talk to. SoulTalk has helped me so much.'
Co-organised by the South China Morning Post and RTHK Radio 3, Operation Santa Claus - in its 21st year - will benefit 13 charities.
Part of the funds raised will go to the SCMP Homes for Hope project to help victims of the Sichuan  earthquake.
The charity's patron Anson Chan Fang On-sang  said: 'I am particularly glad that SoulTalk is receiving a donation [from Operation Santa Claus] this year. I can assure the public that the money will be put to very good use for women in personal and relationship crises.'
SoulTalk Foundation's founder and executive director, Andrea Gutwirth,  said: 'There are so many sad stories out there. SoulTalk is not a huge charity. We have not had the funds to be able to get out there and do what everybody else does, and because we are personalised as well. We'd rather concentrate on that.'
Its Loving Home refuge provides a temporary residence for women needing resources, counselling and education so that 'they can move beyond their crisis, and regain their empowerment and get their life back', she said.
SoulTalk started  as a grass-roots self-help group in 1992.
Wish list
Aim The SoulTalk Foundation  aims to offer a 24-hour Chinese and English hotline service to all women who are in  emotional and relationship crises that will be handled by professional counsellors, social workers or psychologists. This will increase its service from 1,000 calls a year to 10,000.
Funds needed HK$700,000



Haven for distressed women helps them find their feet