A Domestic Worker speaks out!

All about Domestic Work in Zambia, a young Domestic Workers speaks out about her work, Domestic Work and Hours and Wages and more on Mywage Zambia.

By Silvia Chimpapwe

At age 13, Judith Chilabi began work as a domestic worker.  She spoke to MyWage Zambia about the challenges of working as a domestic worker in Zambia.

Decision to start domestic work

An orphan at age 13, Judith quit school to start work as a domestic worker to help raise her siblings. She spent her whole life working in people’s homes. Now 46, she is a single mother of seven with just a lower primary education to her name.

Work experience

She remembers working under very harsh conditions. One of her worst experiences was working for a named embassy in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, where Judith was paid a paltry K125 000 ($25) monthly. She was subjected to a body search by male guards on a daily basis. In addition, her refusal to convert to Islam led to physical and verbal abuse. According to Judith she worked under constant surveillance from CCTV cameras placed around the house which she saw as an invasion of her privacy. The embassy also deducted National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) from her pay but never gave the mandatory social security card to enable her prove that the remittances were being made.

Affluent people, worst employers

Judith believes affluent people in society are the worst culprits when it comes to abusing domestic workers as many regard their employees as lesser human beings. She remembers working for a former member of parliament who did not allow her to eat while seating and also ordered her to prepare her own food outside, and not in the family kitchen. But she says the worst ordeal was having to wash the couple’s under wear on a daily basis.  And neither the former parliamentarian nor the embassy ever paid her any overtime or transport allowance despite subjecting her to very long working hours.

Female employers

According to Judith, reports of some workers eloping with their married male bosses had created a rift between domestic workers and their female employers. To safeguard their marriages, some female employers now dictate what their employees should wear. Make-up and certain hair-styles are not allowed.

Positive note

Not all was gloom and doom for Judith, however. She once worked for the now president of Zambia, Michael Sata, when he was minister in the old regime. She was treated and offered better conditions of service than what is contained in the new Domestic Workers Order 2011 and regrets having had to quit her job to stay home with a terminally ill child. But she was often called in for part time work which she was well paid for.

Her life now

Judith now co-owns a Domestic Workers Recruitment Centre and conducts placements in Lusaka. She aims to ensure young women who get into domestic work, do not become victims like she was.

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Find out more about Decent Work in Zambia.


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