Content warning: this article contains mentions of abuse
I was a single mum at the age of 19. I was the one who raised my son. Because of the poverty we suffered, I had to leave my son in my mother’s care because I needed to find a job to provide for his needs. My family was poor and there were times that my siblings and I needed to miss school just to help our parents to find a bit of income so we had food at the table and to eat three times a day.
I thought that my life would be ok but the father of my son didn’t support us financially and I found out that he had another woman. I became a manicurist so I could buy diapers and milk for my baby. I was so exhausted but when I saw the face of my son all the pain was gone. I was so ashamed that instead of helping my parents, my baby and I became their burden. I felt depressed when my own relatives and neighbours gossiped about me. When my son was one year old, I became a security guard, but I was laid off due to cost cutting.
I was determined to work abroad so I could relieve the hardships in our family and provide a better living and good future for my son. In November 2017, I was employed as a domestic worker in Kuwait. The house was four floors and I was the only worker. I was paid the equivalent of £250 per month instead of £300 per month which was written in the contract. My time was always running out and I didn’t have any chance to rest. My employer was always shouting at me. I couldn’t control the nervousness and shivering of my body every time she would call me. Her temper was unbearable.
I cried alone but I needed to be strong. I had to put up with all these abuses for the sake of my family until I could not take it anymore and decided to return home in November 2020. Upon my return home, I stayed in my province. I worked as a farmer, so I could take care of my son. However, in 2020 the pandemic came. I was so scared for my son and family. While we had some food from the farm, we had no money for medicine and hospitalisation if any of us were infected. We had to be very careful and stay away from everyone, and even faced running out of food.
In 2021, I applied to become a domestic worker in Hong Kong, because it was the fastest way I could find work. It was a year of uncertainty, because no one could predict whether lockdowns would happen again. I was scared but the sight of my son crying without food was more frightening to me. I promised that my son would never suffer again.
In Hong Kong, my job was demanding and required me to look after four children who treated me badly. Their parents tolerated the children’s bad treatment of me, and I was not allowed to complain because they were not my children. I was in pain physically and emotionally. I was missing my son who I couldn’t even take care of or hug.
I wasn’t able to sleep properly because I was sleeping in the hallway just outside of the kids’ room. I had no day off and my salary was always delayed. After seven months with this family, they told me that we were going to the United Kingdom. My employer’s staff member took me to the British Embassy in Hong Kong, where she held my documents and applied for my visa. I wasn’t allowed to read any documents including my employment contract before signing. In October 2022, I travelled to the UK. I was accompanied by the family’s driver and although I’m old enough to take care of my own documents, he was holding all my documents and I was under his watch all the time including guarding me at the door of the toilet. My routine was the same as in Hong Kong. My employer told me that she would increase my salary and gave me a contract, but it didn’t happen.
I was losing hope but kept thinking, ‘God is Good all the Time’. I was searching for places where I could ask for help and I found The Voice of Domestic Workers (VODW) on Facebook. I watched some videos and read their posts and felt that this group was for me. I messaged the Facebook account of VODW to seek advice on what I should do, and after sharing my situation, VODW explained that I did have the right to change employers, but that I would not be able to renew my visa. I was too traumatised to understand anything and just wanted to leave my abusive employment as soon as possible.
I was not sure if VODW were really going to help me, but when I gave them instructions on where exactly I was, they came even though it was past midnight and icy cold in the winter. I put some of my clothes in a bin bag so no one would notice when I went out of the house. I felt safe and protected because VODW were there to rescue and help me. My tears were both relief but at the same time frightened because I didn’t know what would come next for me and what kind of life awaited me. VODW sheltered me temporarily until I managed to rest. When I was ready to find a new job, they also helped me find a new job.
On the first Sunday that I met my fellow domestic workers, I was surprised that there were many of us and they all gave me assurance that I would be alright, just like them. VODW referred me to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which is a framework to assess and support victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. I was able to continue working as a domestic worker and provide for my son and family needs.
My life’s journey has not been an easy path and it is still rocky ahead. But no matter how long and bumpy the road is, I will continue my journey to reach my goal: giving the best life that I promised to my son.
About the author
Alzua is from the Philippines, and is a 31 year old mother of one son. She has loved singing since she was young. Because of poverty, she sacrificed a lot to work abroad to support her family’s needs and to give her son a better future. The Voice of Domestic Workers (VoDW) gave her a new life here in the UK during a time when she didn’t know where to go, helping her stand on her feet and educating her about her rights.
Alzua is part of the Future Voices programme, a unique leadership and training programme run in partnership between the Voice of Domestic Workers and Sounddelivery Media equipping a new network of migrant domestic workers with the knowledge, skills and confidence to share their stories, influence public opinion and advocate for change.