by PathFinders As Hong Kong battles the COVID-19 fifth wave, it is understandable many are anxious about their health and that of their loved ones - particularly young children and elderly parents. Stress mounts for many Hong Kong parents who are working from home, and supporting their children with online learning at the same time. For households who employ Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs), there has not been a more critical time than ...
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By Pathfinders With another year drawing to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect and set goals for the new year! Living thousands of miles apart from their loved ones and immersing in a culture vastly different from their own, Migrant Domestic Workers have been creating brighter futures for their children and family - as well as ours - for more than 50 years in Hong Kong. Some spend up to ...
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Despite progress, including greater awareness of the rights of domestic helpers, maids are sometimes poorly treated in Singapore and other parts of Asia. Since this worker group remains vulnerable to exploitation, the government of Singapore says it imposes severe penalties on those who abuse foreign maids. Employers should be aware of helpers’ rights, and discuss these during on-the-job orientation and training, and ensure that expected duties remain legal and ethical. Unfortunately, ...
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By PathFinders The recent Mid-Autumn Festival was a special time of getting together with family and close friends. As we enjoyed the reunion, there were as many as 370,000 Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW) in HK who had not been able to be home to see their families for almost 2 years due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A number of these MDW are mothers who left their children back in their home ...
Read MoreBy PathFinders Love scams are on the rise in Hong Kong (HK). The most recent police figures show a 92% increase - 822 cases in the first six months of 2021, up from 429 in the same period last year. While no one is immune to online/love scams, Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW) are particularly vulnerable. The nature of their employment - long working hours and living-in with their employers - make them ...
Read MoreBy PathFinders Happy International Domestic Workers’ (IDW) Day to all the 370,000 Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) for being the backbone of our society and the key support for many households in Hong Kong (HK)! Many working parents in HK, especially mothers, have been able to accomplish so much and achieve better work-life balance, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, because of their MDWs’ support in caring for their children and elderly parents. How can ...
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by Enrich HK Did you know that in the Philippines, Christmas season begins in September? Houses are lovingly decorated, trees are put up, and parol (Christmas stars) are secured in place. It’s definitely a special time of year for the family. But Christmas will be very different this year. Most domestic workers reading this will be unable to travel home during this pandemic due to lockdowns, travel restrictions or greater expenses. It’s ...
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By PathFinders (Click here if you have not read phase 1.) In Phase 2 of your planning when experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, you will need to be looking ahead into the future. As a reminder, put things down in the format that works for you. It is important for you to be able to physically check where you are in the planning, to tick/cross what you’ve done, to see what you need/have to ...
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By PathFinders Some things in our lives happen unexpectedly and catch us off guard. This may either bring us happiness; or it may be so challenging that we hit a breaking point. If you are experiencing the latter, you are definitely not the only one! There is a famous Japanese proverb “fall seven times, stand up eight”. The message is simple yet powerful. When life knocks you down many times, all you ...
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When employing a domestic helper, the first thing that comes to mind is how to create a healthy relationship by clearly defining house rules such as setting up a work schedule. But after a few weeks or months, you might realize that respecting each other’s personal privacy is also a key factor to a harmonious home. There are over 370,000 foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong living with their employers. The majority ...
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