Members of our Future Voices network, our partnership programme with The Voice of Domestic Workers feature in a new BBC World Service documentary about their experiences of being mothers and migrant domestic workers. Here, Carol shares what it was like to take part in the project and share her story.
Mothers from all over the world leave home in order to provide better futures for their loved ones. Many migrant domestic workers look after children, while their own live far away at home. These are experiences that our Future Voices spokespeople know all too well.
How does it feel to nurture other people’s children while someone else takes care of yours?
Our Future Voices members answer this question and more in a new upcoming BBC World Service documentary, Other People’s Children, airing on Saturday 21 October at 12 noon.
In the programme, two of the Future Voices spokespeople, Mimi and Carol, alongside The Voice of Domestic Workers Director Marissa who is also part of our Spokesperson Network, share their experiences as migrant domestic workers taking care of other people’s children around the world while their own children grow up in their home countries.
Listen to the trailer here:
Carol’s employer brought her to the UK in 2022, where she suffered abuse and exploitation. Originally from western Kenya, she left her children behind to provide a better future for them. Carol is part of Future Voices, a training programme run in partnership between The Voice of Domestic Workers and Sounddelivery Media equipping migrant domestic workers with the skills and confidence to share their experiences, have their expertise heard more widely, and ultimately drive public awareness and policy change.
This interview with the BBC is the first media interview that Carol has given.
“When I was doing my interview, I was a bit scared and anxious because I didn’t know if I would manage to talk. I felt emotional, remembering how I grew up and how I survived”
Carol
Her story in Other People’s Children focuses on her life growing up in Kenya in challenging circumstances, how she survived, and how she left her children behind to work abroad.
“When I shared my story, I felt relieved. My story is painful, but someone can learn something from my story,” she says. “As migrant domestic workers, we overcome a lot. We are fighting for our rights here in this country so we will be able to work without being scared.”
Carol talks about the hardships and challenges that she has survived and overcome.
“We don’t even have freedom as domestic workers. But when I share my story, I want people to understand how we get through it.”
“I’m so happy, so happy to be a part of this. Since I joined Future Voices, I’ve gained more experience, and am understanding what the meaning of a documentary is. I’m learning so many new things. I’m so excited to hear my voice tomorrow, and for people to hear what I’ve gone through.”
Other People’s Children will be airing live on BBC World Service on Saturday 21 October at 12 noon and will be available to listen to online afterwards.