How the coronavirus pandemic brings out acts of kindness in Hong Kong people and businesses

The sound of streams and ocean waves washed over them as participants, mostly middle-aged and older, closed their eyes, some with plants or rocks nearby. For Amanda Yik, this forest therapy session differed significantly from the ones she’s hosted outside in nature over the past three years. She was sitting in front of her computer at home, watching the attendees on her screen.

The founder of Shinrin Yoku Hong Kong, a Japanese-inspired practice of meditation through nature walks, said she wanted to share a slice of virtual tranquillity in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic. “There’s a need for people to connect in a real way,” said Yik, who has been quarantined herself at home in Hong Kong following a working trip in Australia to train others in forest therapy. “The stress from the virus is very present for all of us.”

As Covid-19 has overtaken the world with more than 800,000 infections, anxiety has skyrocketed as well. Apart from contracting the disease, medical experts have warned that quarantine measures, while effective in slowing the infection rate, could also cause emotional duress.

As the number of cases rises in Hong Kong, and more social distancing measures are taken, some individuals and corporations are pitching in to do some good. The stress isn’t just mental, especially for Hong Kong’s most vulnerable.

As McDonald’s suspended its evening dine-in services last week, many homeless people in Hong Kong – who have counted on the 24-hour fast food chain for overnight rest – were left sleeping on the streets.

Hong Kong had 1,127 registered street sleepers in 2018, according to the Hong Kong government. In that same year, the community group Society for Community Organisation said it found 448 so-called “McRefugees” across 109 outlets.

The move prompted Impact HK, an NGO focused on helping the city’s homeless, to start a fundraising drive. In less than a week, ImpactHK raised more than HK$600,000 (US$77,300) on the online platform SparkRaise, several times more than the HK$100,000 that the campaign had asked for. “We know we’ve got a supportive base, it’s a very heartening thing to see,” said Charlotte Tottenham, the head of partnerships and development at the ImpactHK.

The organisation has placed 19 people in hotel rooms since last Wednesday, as volunteers have gone on nightly “walks” to offer shelter and supplies to the homeless, Tottenham said.

Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN), one of the city’s largest internet providers is launching a campaign this week to provide free broadband service for two years to those who would otherwise struggle to pay for it. With schools closed, recent reports have highlighted that children from low-income families have trouble keeping up with assignments when they don’t have reliable internet.

The campaign, called “#ToughTimesTogether”, would offer 10,000 two-year subscriptions, according to the company. “It is our responsibility to deploy our resources to support and improve the lives of those in need,” HKBN co-owner Chan Chun-yu said. “We hope our free broadband plan can spark more companies to join us in extending a helping hand, especially at this critical time.”

While corporations are using their resources to help in the battle against the pandemic, individuals like forest therapy leader Yik are contributing their own efforts. Yik, unable to go out herself, said she was inspired by people connecting worldwide online to hold her therapy sessions online.

Instead of a trek through a country park, the sessions will have participants watch videos, listen to the sounds of nature, and talk about themselves. “I’m a believer in the fact that we can connect with nature any time,” she said, adding that her online classes were still in an experimental phase.

The four sessions are available for free for doctors and nurses who may be particularly affected in these times, Yik said. “It’s the least I can do, really.”

Learn more about the online forest therapy sessions at this Facebook page