http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=113615&d=31&m=8&y=2008
Sunday 31 August 2008 (01 Ramadan 1429)
Runaway maids are in high demand during Ramadan
Samah Ali I Arab News
MADINAH: The high demand for runaway housemaids during the month of
Ramadan is attributed to women wanting to devote more time to worship and an
increase in the number of guests. Since there are no arrangements to bring
extra maids into the Kingdom during the holy month, most families hire illegal
housemaids who charge around SR2,000 and demand weekly holidays.
"I have been looking for a maid for some time. Most of the maids I've had
have made difficult demands such as salaries of around SR2,000 and weekends
off. If exempted from cooking, they may work for around SR1,800," said Umm
Saeed, a housewife.
She was finally able to hire a maid for SR1,000 through a middleman. "The
maid couldn't speak Arabic and the broker took SR300 in commission," she said.
Hanin Omar, a nurse in a Madinah hospital, said: "I have found an
Ethiopian maid for SR2,000 to help my maid during Ramadan. Many of our
relatives will be visiting us. We have to treat them well, because we meet only
once a year."
Umm Mahmoud, an old Saudi woman, said she expected plenty of visitors as
the school holidays this year fall in Ramadan. "My regular housemaid would not
be able to do all the cooking and other chores. I need extra hands," she said,
adding that a maid agreed to work for her on condition she be given weekends
off and paid SR1,500 a month. "She said she wouldn't do any kitchen work and
warned she would leave if the work was too hard," she added.
Fatima, an Ethiopian, said she had been working illegally as a housemaid
for the past 15 years. "At the beginning I did not know how to cook or speak
the language. A Saudi family employed me for very low wages. But they taught me
how to cook and speak Arabic. After working with them for five years, I looked
for a better job. But I was arrested and deported," she said.
She added that after two months she returned to the Kingdom and worked
for several families. "Now I earn SR2,500 a month because I can cook well," she
said.
Sarayati, an Indonesian maid who came to the Kingdom 10 years ago, said
she was originally brought to work for a Saudi family in the Eastern Province.
"After working with them for five years, I was sent to Riyadh and then to
Jizan. Later I ran away and went to Madinah. A maid from my country introduced
me to a man who found jobs for runaway maids," she said. "He took me to a place
where I found several runaway maids. He found a job for me with a salary of
SR1,500 a month. I had to pay SR200 in commission to the agent each month," she
added.
Masyu runs an agency that supplies runaway maids. He told Arab News that,
with the help of friends, he collects the telephone numbers of maids and then
calls them to persuade them to leave their sponsors.
"If a maid is willing to come, then I will meet her in a public place and
take her home. She will stay there with my wife until I find her a job. I get a
good commission from both the maids and their new Saudi employers," he said.
Maj. Gen. Saad Al-Zayedi, a spokesman for the Passport Department in
Madinah, said the department made regular checks on illegal workers and often
received tip-offs from members of the public. "People who give shelter to
illegal workers can be fined SR10,000 to SR50,000 and jailed for one month to
six months," he said.
