As Hong Kong continues to combat the impacts of Covid-19, sometimes the most vulnerable can be forgotten and left behind. Of those overlooked, one of the most marginalised groups is Hong Kong’s 13,000 asylum seekers . The government does not allow refugees and asylum seekers to work, only subsidising them with HK$1,500 (US$193) a month for housing, HK$1,200 in prepaid supermarket vouchers, HK$300 for utilities, and HK$200 for transport. These subsidies have been the same for more than six years, and the scant amount provided has only made the financial burdens of the pandemic weigh heavier on them. The lack of pandemic information in their languages means they don’t have equal access to coronavirus protection. Their legal status also means that government relief measures do not apply to them. Besides the increased health risks refugees face in this time, rising food inflation also negatively impacts them. Their prepaid supermarket card limits where they can shop for food and has not increased in value since 2014. The Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department recorded in May that food prices saw an average of 11 per cent increase from May 2019. In March this year, at the supermarkets where asylum seekers can use their vouchers, some staple food like potatoes and chicken even saw a 50 per cent price increase. Beyond the financial burdens they experience, refugees also face struggles in school. Although the Education Bureau provides a subsidy of HK$4,740 for devices, many parents are not aware that they need to request the school to apply on the pupil’s behalf. This means these pupils can be left behind in the shift to online schooling . Other issues like language barriers also mean asylum seeker parents can struggle to provide educational support for at-home learning, and make it difficult for them to reach out to their children’s schools for help. Ultimately, asylum seeker children are in a disproportionately disadvantaged environment, which has now been exacerbated by the pandemic. NGOs struggle to fill the gaps due to a drop in income. A survey of 102 charities, conducted by a task force and published by Asian Charity Services, found that 63 per cent of charities have seen a 30 per cent reduction in funding this year. We call on the general public to partner with NGOs to support vulnerable populations as the city strives to contain the virus. Joy Cheng, partnership manager, Branches of Hope