04 September 2025
Syafrijal S.Kom
The Community Service (PKM) Team from the University of North Sumatra (USU), consisting of Dr. Harmona Daulay, Dr. Meutia Nauly, Dr. Detania Sukarja, and Fredick Broven Ekayanta, collaborated with Dr. Tyas Retno Wulan, a lecturer from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Jenderal Soedirman University, to conduct an international community service program in Hong Kong in 2025.
The team held activities, or the Tridharma of Higher Education, aimed at improving the psychological, gender, and social capacities of Indonesian female migrant workers (PMPI) who are members of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Association in Hong Kong (ATKI HK).
This community service is expected to build resilience in the face of various obstacles and challenges. The meeting with ATKI took place on Sunday (June 15) at Victoria Park, Hong Kong. Approximately 25 Indonesian female migrant workers participated in the activity.
The team leader, Dr. Harmona Daulay emphasized the importance of gender sensitivity for the participants. "As female workers, we must realize that women are vulnerable to violence and discrimination, even though female migrant workers are heroes for their families," she said.
The Chairperson of ATKI HK, Romlah Rosidah, stated that violence against female workers in Hong Kong persists, along with issues related to mental health and long-distance parenting. A member of the community service team, Dr. Meutia Nauly, guided the community service activities by forming small group discussions.
Through these discussions, the female migrant workers were given the opportunity to write down personal reflections and concerns about working in Hong Kong.
Afterward, Dr. Meutia provided counseling on the importance of a growth mindset when working away from family. Another member of the community service team, Dr. Detania Sukarja, presented material on the importance of legal literacy for female migrant workers in Hong Kong.
Good legal literacy will help female migrant workers understand their rights and obligations, prevent exploitation and abuse, understand employment contracts, avoid contract termination, and improve their collective bargaining position.
Fredick Broven Ekayanta also provided material on political literacy to encourage female migrant workers in Hong Kong to become critical citizens who understand their rights and obligations and have knowledge of the political system in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Dr. Tyas Retno Wulan presented material on how to build resilience and well-being for female migrant workers. There are at least five main strategies: building social connections, maintaining health, finding a vision, developing positive thinking, and seeking help when needed.
"Education is one part of social remittances that must be continuously pursued and cultivated while abroad, because education and social remittances are efforts to strengthen social resilience," added Tyas.
As part of this community service program, the team also visited a shelter for female migrant workers in Kowloon on Monday (June 16).
The shelter serves as a shelter for migrant workers, not only from Indonesia but also from the Philippines, when they encounter legal issues or experience violence from their employers. At the shelter, several female migrant workers shared their experiences and stories of their time as migrant workers in Hong Kong with the team.
The community service team also visited the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Hong Kong (KJRI HK) in the Causeway Bay area on Tuesday (June 17th) to obtain information on the situation of migrant workers in Hong Kong and to discuss the activities being carried out.
The representatives from the Indonesian Consulate General who received them were Consul for Information, Social Affairs, and Culture, Clemens Triaji Bektikusuma; Deputy Consul for Information, Social Affairs, and Culture, Zivya Syifa Husnayain; and Consul for Immigration, Febby Wilson Sayuti.
Clemens expressed his appreciation for the community service activities and expressed his hope that they would be sustainable. He also explained the developments in the labor situation in Hong Kong, particularly regarding female migrant workers from Indonesia, whose numbers reach approximately 180,000.
https://www.waspada.id/pendidikan/tim-pkm-usu-edukasi-pekerja-migran-perempuan-di-hongkong/
