'We should appreciate maids more'

'We should appreciate maids more'

People around the world have just commemorated Human Rights Day
on Dec. 10, with distinguished persons being recognized for their
work to promote and uphold the basic rights of people --
something that often puts them on the opposite side of the fence
from those in power. However, the basic rights of the weak and
defenseless are overlooked most of the time. The Jakarta Post
asked some city residents about how they appreciate their house
maids.

Neni Anggoro, 38, is a housewife. She lives in Cengkareng,
West Jakarta, with her husband and three-year-old son:

Before the Idul Fitri holiday, I used to forget how
comfortable it is to have maids doing all the work around the
house. I often got angry with them when they did something wrong.

I finally realized that my maids are priceless after they went
back to their village for two weeks to celebrate the holiday, and
as a result I had to do the household chores myself for two
weeks. Then I knew how tough it was to be a maid.

I think we should appreciate maids more than we do as they
actually help us a lot in running our homes. I'm now trying to be
more patient with them by not getting angry so often when they
make mistakes.

Sandra, 30, is a manager with a firm headquartered on Jl.
Sudirman in Central Jakarta. She lives in Lippo Karawaci,
Tangerang, with her husband:

I have two maids in my house and I leave everything up to them
as I work five days a week and leave the house at 8 a.m. I don't
get back home until around 7 p.m.

So, I don't know much about what's going on in my house. All I
know is that when I leave the house, it's clean, and when I come
home, it's clean and the food's there. So, I'm pretty much
satisfied with what my maids do.

I rarely get angry or yell at them because I know that I
cannot do the house work and I need them to do it for me. Anyway,
who am I to say that my maids have made mistakes?

Besides, if they didn't make mistakes, that is, if they were
educated, they wouldn't be maids. They'd be employers, instead.

-- The Jakarta Post