In our bedspace, we have a maid who comes regularly to clean our room. She is always polite and completes her tasks efficiently. On some days, when she finishes her work earlier than expected, she opens up and shares her personal experiences with us. Occasionally, she also tells us about the lives of other maids she knows. One day, she decided to share her own story, and it really left an impact on me.
Her name is Riya, and she comes from a very poor family in her home country. She told us that one of her cousins convinced her to come to Dubai for a better life, promising that she could earn money to support her family back home. However, things didn’t go as she had expected. Her cousin initially took extra charges for arranging her visa, which meant she had to pay much more than she had anticipated just to get to Dubai. Once she arrived, he placed her with a family to work as a maid, but her life there was far from what she had imagined.
Riya explained how she endured a lot of mistreatment from the family she worked for. They didn’t give her any time to rest, and her daily routine was exhausting. She had to wake up at 6 AM every day, start her work immediately, and continue doing chores all day long. She only had a few hours of free time, usually between 2 or 3 AM, which was very little considering the workload she had to carry throughout the day.
The family showed no compassion, and the harsh conditions wore her down. She suffered in silence for a while, but eventually, she couldn’t bear it anymore. She decided to leave that job and take control of her own life. Riya managed to get her own visa, and instead of working full-time for a single employer, she switched to part-time jobs. This gave her more freedom and allowed her to take better care of herself.
Riya’s story made me realize just how difficult life can be for some workers, especially those who come to Dubai with hopes of earning a better living but end up facing exploitation and harsh treatment. It also made me reflect on how important it is for employers to treat their employees with respect and dignity. Riya’s resilience to leave an abusive situation and take charge of her own future is something I admire, and her experience serves as a reminder of the challenges many workers face in the pursuit of a better life.
