http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/12/23/working-maid-abroad-it%E2%80%99s-not-all-doom-and-gloom.html
Working as maid abroad? It's not all doom and gloom
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 12/23/2010 11:17 AM | Headlines
The rising number of abuse cases of Indonesian migrant workers has sparked heated debate over whether the government should stop exporting housemaids. However, job seekers here are apparently still looking for the silver lining in every dark cloud of working overseas.
Nuryati, a lecturer at Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University's School of Law in Serang, Banten, might not have a college degree if she had not worked as a migrant worker.
After graduating from high school, she was eager to get a college degree, but faced a brick wall due to financial constraints. But she did not give up.
Between 1998 and 2001, Nuryati worked as a domestic helper for a Saudi family to finance her studies. "I had heard many sad stories about our migrant workers, but I eliminated all the bad images from my mind," she said.
After working for two years and eight months in Saudi Arabia, Nuryati returned home to further her education.
Nuryati, who already has a master's degree and is now pursuing a doctoral degree, is one of several former migrant workers to receive a 2010 Indonesia International Migrant Worker's Award
"They give a good example and inspire migrant workers by proving that they can develop entrepreneurship and job opportunities in their hometowns after working abroad," Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar said after handing her the award Monday.
The award consists of four categories: Best Entrepreneur, Best Motivator, Best Productive Remittance and Best Migrant Worker's Arrival Service Official.
Nuryati beat five other nominees in the Best Motivator category: Imam Nahrowi (East Lampung, Lampung), Mahfud (Bima, West Nusa Tenggara), Nanang (Sidoarjo, East Java), Septiana (West Singkawang, West Kalimantan) and Wahyudin (Sukabumi, West Java).
Siti Maryam of Trenggalek was named the Best Entrepreneur, Zaharudin's family of Bima as Best Productive Remittance, and Mohamad Adib as Best Migrant Worker's Arrival Service Official.
Siti Maryam, a former domestic helper in Hong Kong, shares a similar success story. "It was not easy
for me to work abroad. It was a really difficult choice since I had to leave behind my husband and son," she said.
Luckily, she had a good employer. While working as a domestic helper during 2000-2009, Siti earned extra income from side businesses. She now runs an informal remittance service, designed for Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong, by using credit union Internet banking.
In a relative short period, she gained the trust of friends in delivering funds to their families. For each delivery, she charges only Rp 30,000 (US$3.30), far less than banks or other money delivery services. "I used to have 20 to 30 migrant workers as clients who wanted remittances sent, so the delivery fee was lower," she said.
After returning to Indonesia, Siti opened businesses, such as a beauty parlor and video shooting.
She said migrant workers and their families should be able to properly manage their funds, and even create job opportunities. "If they cannot properly manage their remittances, they will live no better than before they went abroad," she said. (ebf)
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