More than a game: single mother uses passion for touch rugby to help Hong Kong’s foreign domestic workers beat mental, physical health issues and build community
- Agnes Sordan’s life changed in 2018 when she discovered touch rugby team comprised mostly of foreign domestic helpers such as herself
- Her efforts to use the power of sport for good have made her a finalist for the Spirit of Hong Kong Awards 2023 in the Spirit of Community category
Single mother Agnes Sordan sacrificed the chance to see her two sons grow up in her hometown in the Philippines when she came to work as a foreign domestic helper in Hong Kong in 2015, with the stress of adapting to a new city taking a toll on her mental health.
But her life changed in 2018 when she discovered the Exiles, a touch rugby team comprised mostly of migrant domestic workers.
The team playing the non-contact version of rugby was set up in 2016 by the Hong Kong Rugby Union Community Foundation and Enrich, a charity for domestic helpers.
“Joining the Exiles team was a game-changer for me. The regular Sunday training sessions have had an incredible impact on my physical and mental well-being, showing me the positive effects of team sports,” she said.
“Rugby has not only provided me with a supportive community but also boosted my positivity and self-confidence.”
Sordan’s realisation that her struggles were shared by many other migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong sparked her determination to take a leadership role within the Exiles team, which grew from about 20 players when she first joined to more than 60 people under her direction.
“I knew and experienced first-hand the benefits of the sport, and I wanted others like me to have the same opportunity.
