RUN Hong Kong是一個非政府組織，旨在支援弱勢難民，增強他們生命的韌度，並培養自力更生的能力，以創造更有希望的未來。組織以體育為跳板，以教育為基礎，幫助難民在香港及其他地方創造既安全又有尊嚴的生活。RUN的主要關注點，是婦女和她們的孩子，她們當中大多數人都是為著世上一些最嚴重的衝突而逃離。超過70%的參與者，遭受過可怕的侵犯人權行為，包括酷刑、強姦、身體及精神上的虐待，或同時遭受這些侵犯。許多人都患有創傷後壓力症候群（PTSD）、抑鬱症、焦慮症或類似的症狀。
來自非洲之角的Princess（化名）分享：「我到香港的時候僅十五歲，和十七歲的姐姐在一起。我們經歷了很多，生活並不輕鬆。我們想尋找更好的未來，擁有更好的生活。但是當我們到達時，我們並沒有找到想要的東西。在首兩年，我們住在一個約有十至十五人的庇護中心裡，但其實我們身心俱疲，感覺不到自己的存在。有一天，我們的律師問我們是否想去遠足。我們問，遠足是甚麼意思？她就向我們解釋。起初，我們很害怕，我們對人感到很害怕，亦害怕出門。但她向我們保證，如果我們去遠足，不會遇到甚麼問題的……我們遠足的第一天，對我們來說是非常痛和辛苦。我們真的很喜歡這裡的景色和美麗的地方，但是當我們回到家時，我們仍然感到很痛。我說：『我不想再去了。』但姐姐說：『我們必須再去，我們需要改變我們的生活，必須嘗試結識更好的人。』所以我們又回去了，並繼續遠足。RUN幫助我能夠信任其他人，並關心我們，這對於我作為一個難民女性，真的很重要……當我看到有一些人是可以信任時，對於在我生活中發生的事情，我願意敞開心扉，並準備好談論。」
RUN為城市中的難民提供遠足、游泳和跑步的機會，並使用運動作為解決成人和兒童創傷後壓力症候群的工具。該組織為一百七十六名受益者提供服務，所有人都受益於RUN的全人關顧模式，並同時獲得教育和基本支援（醫療、住房、食品）。文獻證明，恆常的鍛鍊能顯著減少抑鬱和焦慮，並對身心健康有正面影響。來自東南亞的Lynn（化名）說：「當我和朋友在大自然遠足時，我對自己感覺更好，並再次對未來充滿了希望。」現在，運動開始更廣泛地被應用於支持流離失所的群體，因為它是「預防和治療精神障礙、促進福祉和社會聯繫，以及培養社區意識的行之有效的策略」。RUN的參與者都表示，他們信心增強、身體健康得以改善、抑鬱感減少，以及對未來更有希望。
如今，Princess已經和姐姐一起定居加拿大，在聯合國難民公署和RUN的幫助下，開始了新的生活，並立志成為一名室內設計師。她說：「到RUN之前，如果有人在街上問我在香港做甚麼，我就試圖撒謊說我是學生。我對於介紹自己是難民感到羞恥。但是RUN的工作人員告訴我，『不要為你是誰感到羞恥』。現在我會告訴人們我是難民──是被迫成為難民的，我沒有這個選擇。我不以成為難民為恥……因我已經不是六年前的我。現在我覺得精神和身體都很強壯……他們教曉了我作為少女時想學的東西──縱使明天你的境況不好，你仍然可以期待光明的未來。」
香港的四大遠足徑，把城市連接到美麗的戶外空間。然而，要踏上第一步總是最難的。尤其是婦女，她們要面對很多障礙，無論是由於她們的文化、社會價值觀還是育兒責任。但RUN透過創造安全的環境，幫助她們克服，讓她們可以在RUN的中心見面，獲得育兒支援和營養食品，並使用合適戶外活動的裝備。許多婦女起初都認為，自己永遠無法征服山峰，但現在她們已經成為狂熱的遠足者。有些甚至參加五至一百公里的比賽，成為遠足領袖，更向工作人員表示，遠足一點也不難。
在RUN成立的七年時間裡，已建立了一個緊密的共同體，當中許多人已在美國和加拿大定居，他們都是在失去一切後，通過運動來為自己的生活重燃希望及重建家庭。大自然是不分你我，當我們一起遠足時，國籍、經濟機會和膚色都無關緊要。重要的是，我們可以一起攜手同行。
筆按：欲了解更多 RUN Hong Kong 及其工作，
請瀏覽www.runhk.org 或 Instagram@runhongkong
作者為RUN Hong Kong聯合創辦人兼董事總經理
英文原文：
RUN Hong Kong is an NGO that supports vulnerable refugees to build resilience and nurture self-reliance for a more hopeful future. With sport as the springboard and education as the foundation, the organization helps refugees to create a life of safety and dignity, in Hong Kong and beyond. RUN’s main focus is on women and their children, most of whom have fled from some of the world’s most serious conflicts. Over 70% of the participants have suffered from horrendous human rights abuses, including torture, rape, physical and mental abuse or a combination of these. Many are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, or similar conditions.
Princess (pseudonym), who is from the horn of Africa, says that "When I arrived in Hong Kong, I was fifteen. I was with my sister, she was seventeen. We had been through a lot. It was not an easy life. We were looking for a better future, to have a better life. But when we arrived, we did not find what we were looking for. For the first two years, we lived in a shelter. There were about ten to fifteen people in the shelter. Mentally and physically we were not there. One day, our lawyer asked us if we wanted to go hiking. We said, ‘what do you mean by hiking?' So she explained what it meant. First, we were scared. We were scared of the people, scared to go out. But she promised us that nothing bad would happen to us if we went hiking… The first day we went hiking, it was very painful for us. We really liked the view and the beautiful place, but when we were back home, we were still in pain. I said, ‘I don’t want to go back there’, but my sister said, ‘We have to, we need to change our life, we must try and meet better people.' So again we went back and we continued to go hiking. RUN helped me to be able to believe and trust other people. RUN showed they cared about us. It really meant a lot to us, as a refugee and a woman... When I saw that I had some people I could trust, I opened up to what happened in our life and I was ready to talk about that..."
RUN provides access to hiking, swimming and running to refugees in the city, and uses sport as a tool to tackle PTSD for adults and children alike. The organization serves 176 beneficiaries, and all benefit from RUN's holistic approach, and get access to education and essential support (medical, housing, food) at the same time. The positive impact of regular exercise on well being and mental health is indeed well documented, as it reduces depression and anxiety significantly. "When I hike out in nature with my friends, I feel better about myself and can feel hope for the future again" says Lynn (pseudonym) from South East Asia. Physical activity is starting to be wider widely used to support displaced communities, as it is "a proven strategy for both preventing and treating mental disorders, for promoting well-being and social connection, and for fostering a sense of community". Participants at RUN all report increased confidence, better physical health, reduced feeling of being depressed as well as being more hopeful about the future.
Today, Princess has been resettled to Canada with her sister, and has started a new life with the help of UNHCR and RUN, and aims to become an interior designer. She says "Before going to RUN, if someone in the street asked me what I was doing in Hong Kong, I tried to lie and said I was a student. I was ashamed to say I’m a refugee. But [the staff at RUN] told me not to be ashamed of who you are. Now I tell them I’m a refugee and that I was forced to be a refugee, I did not choose this. I’m not ashamed to be a refugee… I am not the same woman that I was 6 years ago. Now I feel mentally and physically strong... They taught me what I wanted to learn as a young girl - if tomorrow you have a bad situation, you can still look forward to a bright future".
Hong Kong offers beautiful outdoor space that is close to the city through its four major hiking trails. However, the first step on these trails is the hardest to make. Women especially face barriers, whether due to their culture, social values or childcare duties. RUN helps them to overcome these barriers by creating a safe environment where they can meet at RUN's center, have access to childcare support and nutritious food, and use the outdoors equipped with the right gear. Many of the women who initially thought that they would never be able to conquer the hills, have become avid hikers. Some are even tackling races within a range from 5 to 100 kilometers, have become hiking leaders and will let staff know when hikes are too easy.
Over RUN's 7 year existence, the organization has been able to create a tight knit community, with many now resettled in the US and Canada, who use sport to bring back hope in their lives and create a family again, after having lost everything. Nature does not judge, and when we hike together, country of origin, financial opportunities and skin colour do not matter. What matters is that we can hold each other's hands and be together.
For more information about RUN Hong Kong and the work they do, check out https://www.runhk.org/ and social media @runhongkong on instagram https://www.instagram.com/runhongkong/
(This article was written by Virginie Goethals, Co-Founder and Managing Director of RUN.)
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