Their synthetic tubs and foil trays filled with food reveal much about their history, stories and struggles surviving in certainly one of the world’s richest and a lot of cities that are expensive

It had been soon after 11am on a morning in hong kong and already 32c in the shade sunday. The dazzling sunlight reflected from the steel-and-glass skyscrapers into the city’s main business district, while opposite the financial institution of America Tower down below, Rachel untied the knot on a tiny synthetic case containing chicken-feet adobo. Her buddies Ida and Grace had been alongside her, the 3 females sitting on a flattened cardboard field.

Initially through the Philippine area of Mindoro, these three women can be area of the city’s more than 300,000 domestic helpers – mostly Filipina and Indonesian ladies who build up to 18-hour times, six times per week, just for HK$4,310 per month.

In accordance with families in many urban centers across Southeast Asia in addition to Middle East, numerous Hong Kong households count on these helpers to complete sets from cooking and cleansing to childcare and washing. The job is tough and all sorts of domestic helpers reside in their companies’ apartments, frequently in extremely cramped areas in an currently densely populated and city that is incredibly expensive.

The ladies are permitted one statutory remainder time each week, with all the great majority taking it on Sunday. For some, it is their opportunity that is only to up with buddies, offering each other haircuts or manicures, praying, singing if not trying out dancing techniques. They seize the opportunity to Skype due to their children that are own husbands and extended families home. Continue reading