To celebrate International Women’s Day 2023 on March 8, we invited domestic workers from HelperChoice platform to share their stories and experiences as empowered women in the workforce.
According to European Institute for Gender Equality, there are 5 elements for women’s empowerment: sense of self-worth; the right to own and to make decisions; the right to capture opportunities and resources; the right to control and own their lives; and the ability to change the society both nationally and internationally.
In Hong Kong, there are around over 350,000 migrant workers serving both local and expat families.
Despite the previous Covid-19 lockdown, domestic workers have been proved their due diligence as reported in <<62.5% of Foreign Domestic Workers in Hong Kong Haven’t Been Home For More Than 3 Years>>.
One of HelperChoice ambassadors Ellen has happily accepted our invitation for an interview sharing her story as a domestic helper in Hong Kong.
HK Domestic Workers #EmbraceEquity
Q: How long have you been working in Hong Kong?
Ellen: I have been working here in Hong Kong for 15 years.
Q: What is your working goal? Why do you want to earn money here in Hong Kong?
Ellen: My goal is to help myself (become) financially independent and to help support my family. I work in Hong Kong because Hong Kong is one of the financial centres in Asia and the minimum wages for domestic workers are reasonable.
Q: How do you maintain your relationship with your family and children?
Ellen: By communicating (with) them discussing the good things happening in our life. Using the internet nowadays is more convenient. We communicate daily just to update our daily lives. And my employer allows me to use my mobile phone, especially for communication with my family.
Q: How do you feel as an independent working woman in a foreign city?
Ellen: Well, I’m feeling comfortable though I’m far from my own family. People surrounding me here are treating me so well, especially my employer. They’re so kind and they count me as a family member too.
Q: What kind of support system do you have to help you navigate the challenges of being independent working women in a foreign city?
Ellen: One is like joining and being active at HelperChoice as ambassador. We have free Sunday yoga classes or we go to church. I also have some friends to lean on and most of all the support from my employer and my own family.
Q: So let’s talk about successful initiatives that promote women’s empowerment and equality. What difficulties did you encounter in the first place?
Ellen: For me, when I first came to Hong Kong, the difficulties were the differences in language, culture, tradition and weather… because Hong Kong has winter but in the Philippines it’s always summer.
Q: You mentioned learning language for 15 years in Hong Kong. Have you learned the language already?
Ellen: Yes, I know how to speak, you know, basic Chinese or Cantonese.
Q: But how did you overcome these difficulties?
Ellen: Oh, well, for me, I overcame these difficulties by being flexible, being observant and more on adjustment until I was used to it.
Q: Now, let’s talk about some concrete steps that we can take to embrace equity. What are some unique challenges faced by domestic workers and how can we address these issues?
Ellen: Well, the most challenges we are facing as a domestic worker are some employers treating us too badly or very inhuman. To address this issue, we must know our rights and know how to protect ourselves. We don’t allow people to be abusive.
Q: How can we empower and support women to achieve their full potential in all areas of life?
Ellen: For me, to all women around the world, we must be confident in our own way. We don’t allow people to manipulate us and we must again, know our rights and fight for it.
Q: What is one message that you would like to share with our viewers about “Embrace Equity? Or what advice would you give your fellow women in your home country?
Ellen: Happy Women’s Day to all women around the world, especially in the Philippines. Always remember that no matter what life brings us, don’t forget that life must go on. Stay positive, be prayerful and thankful to all the blessings that we receive. Just keep going. Keep going.
Mary Grace Gonzaga, Helper From HelperChoice platform
Another helper from HelperChoice platform Mary Grace Gonzaga, who has been working in Hong Kong as a domestic helper for 10 years shared with us: “To every woman, you should know that you are powerful and beautiful. You gotta be yourself and stand for what you believe is right.”
If you would like to learn more other helper stories from HelperChoice platform, please like and follow our Facebook page (for domestic workers: @helperchoice ; for employers: @helperchoice.employers)
Equity is not a slogan. It’s a call to action! Let’s embrace equity together starting from today!
Final Thoughts
As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2023, the stories shared by domestic workers in Hong Kong highlight the courage, dedication, and leadership that women demonstrate in their daily lives. Their experiences remind us why embracing equity matters—and how meaningful change begins with awareness, respect, and support within our own communities.
At HelperChoice, we remain committed to amplifying women’s voices and promoting fair, ethical employment for every domestic worker. To read more inspiring stories or join our mission toward equity, follow HelperChoice on Facebook and explore our platform today.