DOMESTIC HELPS
I read two interesting articles in the Open Page of The Hindu today on the plight of domestic helps in our country. While the professor has highlighted the gossips that these domestic helps always bring in to a household, the other author has really helped us to understand the plight of these grossly underpaid and overworked of our work force. She has rightly lamented the amount of money that our IPL cricketers amass for plundering the leather ball with wooden bats which bring no economic benefits to the society at large, these domestic helps who attend daily chores of a household for a pittance with no one to care for deserve our attention and sympathies. No doubt the schemes of insurance for such unorganised workforce is a real boon. I read about a pension scheme devised by an NGO for auto drivers of Delhi which needs to be replicated elsewhere for these unorganised workforce contribute immensely to the society. Domestic helps suffer in humiliation in some households where they run the risk of sexual abuse. They always get a low priority in our scheme of things and worse are always viewed with suspicion. With dual income families increasing, there is need to employ domestic helps than ever before. Modern gadgets like washing machines, Dish washers etc have made them a little redundant but their presence helps the elderly in the family a sense of companion ship. My Mother confides many of her beliefs with her domestic help who besides helping her in household chores offer comfort and solace by listening to her problems however trivial they are. But it is difficult to find such trustworthy housemaids. Domestic helps are really a boon. In olden days people used maid servants to tend babies and these babies developed so much affection to them and called them ayahs. They in turn also looked after children with motherly affection and love.
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