THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An emotional speech by a housemaid at the Loka Kerala Sabha revealed the plight of expatriates of her kind who fight against all odds to make their family back home happy. Elizabeth Joseph, a non-resident Keralite for the past 31 years, spent most of her life in Oman.
After a stint in Qatar, Elizabeth landed in Oman in 1993 to serve as a maid to a family which hails from her native place. She was treated badly besides the hard work there. She recalled times when she had fallen sick. ‘They would order food from outside and spit in the leftovers before putting it in the waste bin. I’d have to feed upon that,” she said in a shaky voice. A few months after Elizabeth revealed her plight to a local shop owner.
That shop was the only place Elizabeth was allowed to go. On the third day, the shop owner informed her about an opening in an Oman national’s house. ‘I was told that I’ve to take care of two aged women there. I didn’t mind,” she said.
Elizabeth’s employer and family members, except the kid, were on an outing then. Elizabeth put the child under neighbour’s care and left for the new job. When she informed the Malayali family about the new job, they threatened to lodge a fake theft case. But they didn’t do it.
The new employer helped her recover passport. She spent nine years there and joined another family after the death of the two women.
Elizabeth said the job helped her to marry off her two daughters. Her husband died six months ago. Even after three decades of hard work, Elizabeth could not renovate her old house where her mother lives.