Thursday, June 18, 2009

She is a human too..............

She wakes up about 5.30 every morning, she needs to wake the children up, prepares breadfast for them, wait together with them for the school bus, done not quite yet, this is just the early chores that she has to perform. She has to wash the employer's cars, sweeps the lawn, makes the children's room, and house chores after chores.

I asked my friend why he had to ask his maid to wash the cars every single day and he told me, it was part of her daily chores. So i reckon his maid's works start as early as 5.30, probably ends as late as 11 pm, 24/7 and 365. Curiously, i asked my friend, wouldnt he allow his maid to take a day off a week just like everyone of us does, he told me again it was not part of the deal.
As i read today's paper about the Ministry of Human Resource, wanting to gazzette a law that is mandatory for maids to enjoy a day off weekly, as far as i am concerned this is a good news that comes a little too late, doesnt it?

Imagine yourself being a maid, you came from a faraway land, with the intention of saving up some money. You land yourself in a house hold that is a stark different than your own and the culture shock hits you, before you can learn to be a maid, you have already been told that you are stupid, useless and good for nothing. Day in and day out, you are being hurled with such unfriendly words, how would you feel?Deep inside of you, you wanted to escape but litterally, you have got no way to run, you dont have the means to, your money and your travelling documents are in your employer's "safe keeping".

Slowly but surely, your mental health is in jeopardy, you cant take it anymore, you fight back and you retaliate. Why do you do that, simply because you are not being taken as another Human Being.

I remember i was in way chastising my friend for telling his maid to work 24/7, 365, and allowing his children to scold the maid in public. I asked him, how would he feel if it was her to be the maid be treated the same way that he is treating the maid.

I am not taking side, there are good and bad maids, but the fundamental is one is to always treat another like she is just another human, may be the caste is different but that should not make anyone of us any less human.

P/S : What if you were her...........

9 comments:

  1. Touchie issue bro. On one hand, I can understand the need for them having a break but on the other hand, the fear of them going out and mixing with bad company and bringing the problem home, especially if they are responsible for the kids. To me, the important issue is to always treat them as human beings, an employee who has emotions, needs, weaknesses and strength. Touch wood, mine loves little Ryan. Dare not even think of the potential problems when we need a new replacement when the current one leaves...sigh...

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  2. strongly agree with u.
    They are human beings too!
    Just put urself in their situation...
    Then we will understand better...

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  3. i agree with you that maids are also human beings. we should treat them nicely and we will get the same treatment from them.

    it's just so sad that there are a lot of people out there who should read your article. they should be enlightened. they should understand.

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  4. woa.. you are right, they are human too.. maybe 7am to 9pm will be a good working time? hehe.. BTW, I posted the "I Love You" article.. go enjoy!

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  5. nice post .... and agreed with you =) they are human beings too =)

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  6. Agreed with u they are human and they deserve to be treated fairy and equally. I have no maid and have no experience handling maid. But I always hear people complaining their maid are not listening to instructions and giving all sorts of attitude problem bla bla bla. I dare not say who is right and who is not right. Just hope everyone can have better understanding and communication.

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  7. To me, a maid is human too and need rest. But I've also seen maids who are really terrible and once you let them out, they mix with bad company and bring lots of problem to their employer.

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  8. oh my.. agree wif you.. she's a human too.. 24/7 and 365, i rather not working and starving..huh! than to be treated like that.. such a **** guy who did that..

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  9. One must always hear bth side of the story ..as a victim of maid, I dnt trust these heartless aliens . No matter hw good we are to them ..they will sure to hide something behind us. as the years go by, esp when they hav a chance to get bck to Indon & return , they will learn new tricks to cheat emplyers. thse of u no matter how good ur made is or no matter how g u treat ur made..beware of them....! Children & helpless old folks are always their victims. V busy employers will always be ignorent about a lot of things going on behind our back. My family even had maids who self-hurt herself & reprt to agent & police that my brother in law did that to her.

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