Hong Kong woman raises Rs 47 lakh to help Indian house help build a home of her own

A woman launched a fundraiser for Maryam, her Indian house help in Hong Kong. The appeal seeks to help her secure a home despite alleged abuse, medical bills and online backlash.Hong Kong woman raises Rs 47 lakh to help Indian house help build a home of her own (Photo: GoFundMe)A Hong Kong-based woman started a fundraiser for her Indian house help, hoping to help her build a home of her own after years of alleged financial and physical abuse by the family that adopted her.Abeer Tabakhi launched the GoFundMe campaign for Maryam, who has also built a following of more than 20,000 people on Instagram through her warm personality and food videos.In the fundraiser, Abeer described Maryam as one of the most selfless people she had ever met, but said her life away from social media had been far more difficult.Maryam was adopted when she was five and was made to do household chores for years while allegedly being deprived of proper care. Abeer wrote that Maryam's family repeatedly took advantage of her financially, either taking the money she earned or saying they were borrowing it and would return it.She also claimed Maryam faced punishment rather than guidance when she made mistakes and endured years of mental and physical abuse, including hurtful comments about her appearance and skin colour. After eventually leaving the situation, Maryam was left without a home of her own. Abeer said Maryam was currently staying with her family in Hong Kong, but still had medical bills to deal with and few people to turn to.What Maryam wanted, Abeer said, was relatively simple: a home where she could feel safe, rest and build a life on her own terms.The fundraiser also said Maryam had little to no savings because she continued paying her husband's monthly medical bills while he battled a terminal illness. Despite everything, Abeer described her as someone who continued to show up every day with positivity and kindness.The campaign has so far raised £3,688, around Rs 47 lakh, from donors supporting her journey towards financial independence and a home of her own.However, the fundraiser later brought another challenge. In an update, Tabakhi said Maryam's family members had discovered the campaign and were allegedly posting hateful comments on their videos, calling her a “fraud” and a “beggar” and urging people not to donate.Despite the backlash, Abeer said Maryam had decided to stand her ground and continue fighting for a better future.“Unfortunately, her family members have found out about her fundraiser and are constantly posting hate comments on our videos,” Abeer Tabakhi wrote in the update, while thanking supporters for their kindness and generosity.- EndsPublished By: Yashna TalwarPublished On: Sep 8, 2026 16:04 IST