Mental health among children and adults has been on the decline for a number of years and recent figures show that more than 50% of secondary school pupils show symptoms of depression and 25% demonstrate clinically high levels of anxiety.

Government resources to deal with this challenge have not been able to keep up and many families – particularly those from underprivileged areas – face at least a two-year wait to begin treatment.

Recently, the Department of Social Work and Social Administration of the University of Hong Kong analysed the cases of 1,200 of the 1,500 children and young adults Variety Hong Kong has been able to support. Their findings underline the need to focus help on the underprivileged with 50% of the cases living in the five poorest areas of Hong Kong, 38% of which are from single parent families and with 33% of the families receiving government benefits.

A beneficiary of the Butterfly Program came to the event to share his story as he struggled through life from a young age and how the timely assistance from Variety and social worker support has helped turn things around.