Today is the first annual Helper Appreciation Day!
Let’s take this great opportunity to express our appreciation to our Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW)! They are truly the backbone of our society, and the unsung heroes in many families!
COVID-19 has been an especially challenging time for families across the globe. Many families in Hong Kong have been incredibly blessed to have the support of our MDWs. Without the support of these Helper Heroes, most working parents would not have been able to successfully balance working from home and helping our children with their online learning and school work. A lot of busy adult children would also not have been able to attend to the daily needs of our elderly parents.
How could we express our appreciation? A simple thank you goes a long way! We could make it more memorable by penning down our gratitude on a card. Some of us could find it a bit awkward to convey our appreciation. Perhaps we could take a bit of time to chat with our MDWs, finding out a bit more about them and their family back home. Encourage our children to show their gratitude too. Thank their Aunties for caring for them and preparing their favourite dishes. Develop a curiosity about their Aunties’ story – their childhood, culture and family.
Let’s see how 4 of our amazing MomDay moms from different cultures celebrate and appreciate their MDW Helper Heroes this Helper Appreciation Day!
1. Jan W
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Jan is a busy accountant and doting mom to 4 active boys. Zac is 5 years old, Josiah and Brayden are 3 years old, and Jake is 2 years old. She never fails to give credit to her Helper Hero for her strong support.
“As working mum of 4 children, all under the age of 5, I believe that family and career are both very important parts of my life. A healthy family life keeps me motivated, gives purpose to my work as well as bringing out the best in me professionally. But also, a successful career and the rewards from it are indeed a huge blessing to my family and is setting my kids up for a great future. When these important parts of my life are managed well, my family and career have never been in competition to each other, but instead have created a strong synergy which has led to a highly rewarding life. My husband and I are learning as we go and we are loving this crazy journey. A huge part in this is that we have an amazing helper who’s been taking great care of our kids while we work. She has become a great friend to us and we are truly grateful for her.”
2. Andreea Ehritt Vanc
Andreea lives a very active lifestyle and is constantly on the go. She is a fitness, nutritionist and tennis coach. She is also a former professional tennis player for Romania, where she was born. Her son Maximilian is 6 years old. Her Helper Hero Cris has played a huge part in enabling her to balance work and family.
“Being a working mom for me means to balance educating my child, supporting the needs of my family and being successful at work. Family and work are both possible and gratifying, but only with the help of a great guardian and Cris. Only when these two areas are in sync, I really feel successful!”
3. Yessy Kapitan
Yessy grew up in Indonesia and has been working and living in Hong Kong for more than 4 years. Besides being a pastor, Yessy also volunteers with PathFinders. She has a 7 year old daughter Bianca and a 3 year old son Gibson. Her days are full and juggling family and work can be a huge challenge, if not for her Helper Hero Mae.
“Being a working mum is challenging especially when it comes to making the kids and their needs a priority. The key is always to keep open communication and spend quality time with them. It is also never gonna happen without help from our Migrant Domestic Worker Mae as part of our family.”
4. Chiharu Edono
Hailing from Japan, Chiharu is an accountant. She has a 5 year old son Kaito and a 8 month old son Kento. She recently returned to work after her maternity leave, and her Helper Hero Joan has been integral in helping her in the course of the many transitions.
“As a working mother of 2 boys, definitely they are my energy to work and my motivation. Especially, under the pandemic situation, we re-valued family time and re-think the meaning of our own work. With great help from Joan, I can go back to work with no worries about my kids. Thank you, Joan, for making my boys happy and staying safe.”