Kathmandu

Narbada (name changed), 30 lives in Narephat, Jadibuti with her two daughters. Her husband left the job in army and stopped taking care of the family. Life became difficult for Narbada as she didn’t have any source of income, and her life partner turned out to be a “careless person”.

Narbada, who hails from Ramechhap, is not educated. But she always wanted to educate her two daughters (now six-year and nine-year old), and provide them a secure future. Thus, she chose to work as a part-time domestic helper so that she could “give time to my two daughters while generating income”.

“I have to send my daughters to school in the morning and bring them back in the evening,” says Narbada, who starts her work as domestic helper early in the morning. She goes and works in an employer’s house in Jadibuti, returns home, prepares her daughters for school, finishes her work at home and again goes to two other houses to “clean dishes and wash clothes”.

By three in the afternoon, she usually finishes all the works. “After that I can give a plenty of time to my daughters,” Narbada, the sole breadwinner of her family reveals.

No work is small or big. Work done with perfection and dedication bears fruit. And it is true in case of Narbada and other domestic helpers like her, who earn handsome income by working in some three to four houses a day.

Life made easier

Part-time domestic helpers like Narbada have got a regular source of income while the lives of busy citizens of Capital have been made easier. Rather than paying for a full time domestic helper, people these days have started to opt for part-timers.

Sabitri Rijal, a resident of Kalanki is one of them. The 58-year-old lives with her husband and granddaughter. It has been around six year that she has appointed Chandra Kumari Khadka as the domestic helper.

“My son and daughter-in-law are in Japan and there is no one to help me in the household chores. That is why I have appointed Khadka for help,” she explains.

Sixty five-year-old Khadka, who also lives in Kalanki, everyday visits Rijal’s house and helps her in cleaning dishes and washing clothes. And the elderly, a permanent resident of Charikot, has been working as the part-time maid in houses around Kalanki since last nine years, after the death of her husband.

“My son is living away from me, with his family. So, I needed to make a living after the death of my husband (who used to run a tea shop). That is why I chose to work as a domestic helper,” Khadka opens up about working at that age.

What makes her happy about the job is being able to live a “dignified life. I don’t need to depend on others for my survival”. Moreover, she helps her daughter pay house rent with her income. She lives with her daughter and granddaughter.

Supporting the family

Not every domestic helper has a sad story to tell. There are many who are proud to do that work “in which they are good” and contribute to the family’s income.

Manamaya Tamang, 40, a permanent resident of Sarlahi, currently living at Narephat, Jadibuti feels proud to help her husband in generating income. It would have been difficult for her family of five to survive only on her husband’s income. That’s why she started to work as a domestic helper in the houses nearby, 15 years ago. While everyone is resting and having a good family time on public holidays and festivals, Tamang and other domestic helpers are busy working in others’ houses.

“I am not literate and can’t get other kinds of job. So I have been doing the work that I am perfect at,” shares Tamang, whose husband is a mason. Like every other part-time domestic helpers, she wakes up early in the morning and rushes to a nearby house to wash the dishes, sweep and wipe the floors. And once in a week, she needs to wash clothes. She also works as a mason’s helper at construction sites during the day time.

“It is all about time management. As my family members help me in our house’s chores, I make money working at others’ homes by doing the same thing. It would not have been easy to work in two houses as domestic helper daily if it had not been a part-time job,” Manamaya says with a smile.

The attraction

Living in a society where people tend to discriminate you on the basis of your job choices, what attracts these women to be part-time domestic helpers? It’s the flexibility of time and good earning among others, for many.

You can wash dishes in an employer’s house in the morning, give oil massage to a newborn in the afternoon, and wash clothes in another employer’s house in the evening on a same day.

“One doesn’t need to stay for long hours in one house. You can leave once the work is done,” shares 30-year-old Kanchhi Tamang, from Dolakha, residing in Sinamangal.

And doing such household chores, women earn good salary. Hadn’t it been the salary, probably one would not easily get such domestic helpers.

Recalling her initial days, Manamaya reveals, “I felt like puking, and got fever when I first did others’ dishes.”

Nonetheless, she got used to it with time. More than that, “it is the pay and the flexible work hours that have made me stick to this job till date,” Manamaya admits.

One can earn good money depending upon the nature of work. “We are given good income for massaging women post delivery and newborns because it’s a difficult job than washing dishes. People often give Rs 10,000 a month for massage,” reveals Khadka.

However, it also depends upon the employer’s nature. “If they are kind-hearted and understanding, they give you a good salary and even give you day off during emergencies,” adds Narbada.

Bonus on festivals like Dashain, new clothes and delicacies during the festivals are some incentives usually given by the employers.

As for the employers, they are attracted to part-time domestic helpers because it is economical to employ them.

“It becomes costly to keep full-time domestic helpers at your home. You need to spend on their education, health, lodging and food. But in Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,000, you get part-time workers who easily do all household chores,” shares 57-year-old Narayani Sharma of Sinamangal, who has employed Kanchhi as her part-time maid.

Challenges

Every coin has two sides, and every good thing has negative aspect too. Despite its charm, being a domestic helper is not an easy job.

Playing with cold water continuously in the winter to complete the chores isn’t easy. And for elderly people like Khadka, it is even much difficult. “As I have to use physical strength while doing such works, the body aches. Also, I am getting old and can’t give much time for work,” Khadka states.

As it’s a regular day job, one does not get leave during public holidays and festivals. “A day off is managed on mutual understanding,” shares Rijal.

No matter what the challenges are, these bold women as part-time domestic helpers are proud to stand on their own feet.