It's not easy to get a live-in housemaid

It has become difficult and challenging for residents to get house helps

With many countries putting restrictions on the entry of the maids in the UAE, it has become difficult and challenging for city's residents to get the house helps and that's the reason they prefer spending as much as they can to hold onto their maids.

Meeta Pandey, an Indian business woman born and brought up in Dubai have changed 3-4 maids in last few years. She needed someone to take care of her six-month-old daughter almost 13 years back and that's when she hired her first live-in maid, who was from Ethiopia. After that, she recruited someone from India and finally she got a Nepali maid who is working for her since 2013.

"It was not at all easy to get Chitra (her Nepali maid). I ran around with a lot for paper work and documentation. In the first year, I deposited around Dh7,000 as a deposit amount with visa expenses and every year I pay Dh5,000 for its renewal. We started with the salary of Dh1,200 and now I pay her Dh1,700. Apart from this, I give her Dh2,000 per year for her kid's education," said Pandey.

"Actually, I don't mind incurring expenses because I need her. She takes care of everything from grocery to cooking and taking care of my child. Now, the Nepali government is also getting strict with the laws on deploying housemaids from their country here. So we have to follow the rules and regulations strictly."

Another family is living in Dubai for last 11 years and has sponsored their Sri Lankan maid in 2014. Darakshan Inam (wife) and Inam Abidi (husband) are both working and were in the need of a full time maid.

"It was one of the most difficult tasks for us to hunt for a 24x7 maid who can be with us. Through a friend's recommendation, we found her. Apart from the salary, we take care of her medical and other expenses, yearly air ticket and Fridays are her off days. Initially, we spent around Dh10,000 on the deposit amount and every year we pay Dh4,000 for the renewal," said Darakshan.

Her maid, Ann, said: "There is no money in my country and so I came here to make money for my family. My 13-year-old daughter is studying and I need money so that she can complete her education. Dubai is better than my country and I wish to stay here."

‘UAE is a safe country to work in'

Before coming to the UAE, Deepa Thote (38) had worked as a cook, baby sitter and helper in a marriage bureau back in India. She came to Dubai in 2014 to work for an Indian family (Agrawals) as a full time maid on a contract for one-and-a-half year. But later, her contract was renewed for another six months and then it was extended for one more year. "I was excited when I was coming here for the first time and was a little scared. I thought I will work for some time and then will go back to India but it didn't happen. Now, I don't feel like going back," she told while baby sitting a child.

Deepa, a mother of two teenage daughters, hails from Chhattisgarh and her husband works as a sales staff in a local shop. Through a relative's reference, she got the job and is willing to continue as she gets paid well here. She thinks law of this country is great and she feels free to move out alone also.

"India is not safe for women and we don't get good salary. At least here I can earn better and help my family. I get Dh1,400 per month apart from clothes, toiletries, medical expenses etc," Deepa added.

Deepa Thote

She has made friends here and she goes out with them on her off days. "We spend the whole day together, we go to temple and shopping in Meena Bazaar and we sit in parks and eat in our favourite restaurants. Sometimes, we go for movies as well. I try to save as much money as I can as I have two young girls to look after."

"Dubai has changed my life and I am thankful to God that I got the cooperative family. I never feel overworked or burdened here unlike in India where after spending a lot of time and hard work we get very less salary. Also, very importantly I have learned so many new things here which I could have never experienced back home," she concluded.

ankita@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Dubai