FRONT & FEMALE Meeting of Minds

Our new column is a series of conversations between women who are making an impact in their respective regions and fields 

- Rachel Duffell

Front & Female Awards winners Kay McArdle, founder of Equal Justice, and Manisha Wijesinghe, executive director of Help for Domestic Workers, are championing the progress of women in Hong Kong through their respective non-profits. In conversation together, they share what led them to the non-profit space, its challenges and rewards, and the advice they have for others looking to give back.

“This was always where I wanted to be,” says Manisha Wijesinghe of her decision to work in the non-profit space. “My dad died when I was nine months old and my mum was a single parent. I was lucky to go to a very good school in Sri Lanka and that was because some of my mum’s friends got together and gave a scholarship for my schooling. I had lots of support. Seeing the power of support and that small [amount of ] support goes a long way—it helped me get into university and come to Hong Kong—for me, that was the start.

“I was in shipping for a while, but that was until I was able to secure something in the non-profit space. Even when I did law, I specialised in human rights, and my master’s was in human rights. I felt I wouldn’t be able to do anything I was doing without other people’s support, and I really want to do that back.”