Ramadan 2022 in UAE: 'Feeding those who fast is rewarded', says domestic worker

For Ethiopian Baysa Teha, a domestic worker, cooking in the holy month of Ramadan brings a special joy.

Besides the thrill of experimenting with the different traditional dishes of the hosting family’s home country, the 31-year-old said feeding those who fast is a rewarded act in Islam.

“I feel blessed that my job allows me to cook for a family during Ramadan and share the joy of breaking my own fast with them,” said Teha, a UAE resident since 2015.

“We cook throughout the year, but the rewards multiply in the holy month.”

Teha, who works for a Jordanian family of seven that comprises two married sisters and their children, starts her day at 11am during the holy month.

After completing the cleaning chores, she starts the cooking process with the two mothers in the early afternoon.

“I love sharing the cooking responsibilities. Each one of us takes charge of a meal and we help each other set the table for Iftar.”

The sound of the Holy Quran recitation is always on the radio as the three women cook.

After having Iftar with the family, Teha prepares Arabic Ramadan sweets including Qatayef and Luqaimat. “I learned to make them from the family, and I enjoy preparing the dough from scratch!”

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