domestic servant | Impressions

A Filipino maid (Source: edengracemaids.com)

A domestic helper, domestic worker or domestic servant, also in extreme instances called “a menial”, is a person who works in an employer’s household.

All over the world, many domestic helpers employed by urban families are people from the rural areas and most of them are live-in domestics receiving their room and board as part of their salaries. Often, their living quarters may not usually be as comfortable as those occupied by the employer’s family members. In most cases, they sleep in the kitchen or in small rooms, such as a box room or closet in the attic or basement of the house.

The domestic helpers do a variety of household chores: clean and keep up the house, cook, do laundry and ironing, buy food from vendors and shops, take care of children and elderly persons; and do other errands such as taking children to school, etc.

The contribution and skill of domestic helpers have been highly praised by some employers, but many households undervalue their contribution.

In the following video, Lisa, a domestic helper from the Philippines, comes to work at the household of Serene, her Singaporean employer. Serene takes Lisa’s passport and work permit, and does not allow her to take a day off. One day, summoned by the Principal of her daughter‘s school Serene realizes that she is inadvertently drilling her daughter on how to treat others badly and needs to mend her own ways and set a good example for her own child about respecting and appreciating others.