HONG KONG: Every Sunday in Hong Kong the city’s army of domestic helpers packs into parks or onto pavements, bridges and walkways on their…
HONG KONG: Every Sunday in Hong Kong the city’s army of domestic helpers packs into parks or onto pavements, bridges and walkways on their one mandatory day off.
With a marginalised position in society and low income, the force of more than 300,000 maids, mainly women from Indonesia and the Philippines, can find it hard to access public facilities like libraries and leisure centres.
Some NGOs say as well as difficulties meeting the cost, helpers also face discrimination – especially if they are in groups – and can have difficulties providing information for membership such as proof of address if their employers do not supply it.
But Marilyn Maliglig has found an alternative way to spend her day off – confronting her water phobia at a free swimming class for domestic helpers in Hong Kong.
„I cannot float, that’s the problem,“ the 41-year-old told AFP before her first class.
„I really can’t swim in the water at all.“
Although the city depends on domestic helpers to keep it running, some maids are barred from using swimming pools for their own leisure at the residential complexes where they work.
