Saudi Gazette After living a lifetime of poverty and deprivation, many Asian women who came to the Kingdom as domestic helpers and are working in affluent households reported that they now enjoy luxuries that used to be out of reach. Leaving loved ones behind and entering the homes of complete strangers in search of greener pastures are always a gamble and could pose many risks. However, some nannies and housemaids find they are blessed to join families who deal with them fairly, accord them respect and dignity and welcome them as one of their own. Ameena Tara, who works for a wealthy family in Dammam, has traveled around the world with her sponsor's family. “Coming to Saudi Arabia and working for a family here gave me the chance to see the most beautiful and glamorous cities in the world. I have been to Paris, London and Dubai with my sponsor's family. I never even dreamed of such a splendid life before. The family I work for is very generous; I travel with them first-class and stay in five-star hotels. My boss treats me just as she treats any other member of the family,” said Tara, who is from Indonesia. With such luck, many Asian housemaids and nannies could indulge and pamper themselves with expensive skin care products and clothes lavished on them by their rich sponsors' wives. These fortunate workers could afford to wear branded clothes, own high-tech mobile telephones and other newfangled gadgets. Ester Mandy from the Philippines received an iPad as a gift from her sponsor's family; now she can communicate with her husband and family back home via Skype. Mandy said that it means the world to her to be able to watch her children grow up and to speak with them every day, even though they are miles away. “In my country I never owned such modern devices, but I do here. I have been working and living with the same family for seven years, and they respect my religion as a Christian. On New Year's Day, she let me have the day off and permitted me to visit my friends living in the city,” said Mandy. A bonus for expatriates living and working in the Kingdom is the close proximity to the holy cities of Makkah and Madina, and the ability to visit the Holy Mosque with ease, which is emotionally and spiritually uplifting for Muslim domestic workers. “I thank Allah that I am fortunate enough to visit the Grand Mosque, perform Umrah, and see the magnificent Ka'ba every year. I truly feel that I am the sister in Islam of the lady of the house I work for. The Saudi families who practice the noble teachings of Islam are kind, generous and flexible,” said Sukarsi Duo from Indonesia. “I accompany my sponsor's wife when she goes on shopping sprees in the large shopping malls and I never leave empty-handed. She buys me new clothes without even looking at the price; she doesn't hesitate to spend money on me. We usually end up eating lunch together at the mall. I feel as if I am like other young Saudi girls who wear the nicest clothes. My wardrobe is full of elegant gifts from the family that I live with,” said another Indonesian housemaid, Mushrifa Taaj, who works for a wealthy businessman's wife. There have been countless cases of both reported and unreported abuse against housemaids in Saudi Arabia, leading to a poor image of the helpers and their employers alike — and the domestic service industry in general. However, there are also positive cases that help to reverse that image, just as there are humane employers who care about their workers' welfare. “After a few weeks of getting to know my sponsor's family, I gradually felt more and more relaxed and safe with them. Since I was serious about my work, clean, well-organized and trustworthy, I gained the compassion and mutual respect of the family that employs me. The lady I work for considers me as one of her own children. I have my own room and am entitled to privacy and some quiet time alone whereas in Indonesia, I shared my room with four other relatives,” said Taaj. __
