Domestic Workers
Board of Trustees
Nerisa Valerio
Chairperson
‘’Every successful person has a painful story and every painful story will find its successful ending.’’
Nerisa is the Chairperson of The Voice of Domestic Workers and leader of the Welfare Working Group. It is the responsibility of the Welfare group to oversee the needs of members from temporary accommodation, liaise with Doctors of the World, job referrals, and counselling.
Nerisa is a mother of three and a Domestic Worker who entered the UK under an old Overseas Domestic Worker Visa in 2006. She managed to change employers until she became settled with British Citizen status. Nerisa joined the Board of Trustees in 2017.
Georgina Velasco
Union Representative and leader of the Trade Union Working Group
‘’We are part of a big family therefore we are stronger in fighting for our rights.’
Georgina is VODW’s Union Representative and leader of the Trade Union Working Group, this group is the bridge between Unite the Union and VODW. Members are encouraged to be members of trade union but not mandatory. Their biggest task is to help build the Domestic Workers branch in Unite the Union.
Georgina worked as a domestic worker in Hongkong in 1985 and was brought by her employer to London in 2009 under the old Overseas Domestic Worker Visa and now has a settled status in the UK.
Zaida T. Cenzon
Fundraising and Socialising Working Group
‘’Begin your day with a smile because that creates a positive attitude and that changes and makes everything beautiful.’’
Zaida is the leader of the Fundraising and Socialising Working Group since the time of Justice for Domestic Workers (J4DW). She is now guiding the new group members to take charge. Migrant Domestic Workers are often isolated and have no access to social life, this is why every Summer on the last Sunday of the month, this group arranges trips and social raising awareness events.
Zaida is a domestic worker under the old overseas domestic worker visa and has British Citizen status. Zaida has 2 sons in the Philippines, and every year she visits them.
Saroj Toppo
Board of Trustees
‘’Women always face challenges but it’s good to be challenged because we learned to fight back!’’
Saroj is a Domestic Worker who has been the Chairperson of the group during the time of Justice For Domestic Workers (J4DW). She joined the board of trustees in 2021. Saroj has been a great leader of the Indian Community within J4DW and VODW. Saroj came on an old overseas domestic worker visa has British citizen status and has been on the front line of the campaign.
Mimi Jalmasco
Education Working Group
‘’I want to challenge the wrong and inhumane system. I want to be an instrument to restore all the rights of domestic workers and give them justice and freedom not as victims but as workers with dignity.’’
Mimi is a mother of three and has been a Trustee of VODW since 2020. Mimi was the leader of Education Working and now guides the new members to deliver the classes and training. The Education group oversees every Sunday classes, training, and other activities.
Mimi was brought in by her Arab employer from Dubai UAE in 2014 under the new system of Overseas Domestic Worker non-renewable visas. Mimi has given evidence during the review of the modern slavery act and has been speaking publicly about the urgent need for domestic workers’ rights to be restored.
Wendelyn C. Nova
Media and Communication
‘’Social Media has been my window to the outside world during my years of isolation and during the pandemic. I am opening my window, so people know and understand domestic workers. There’s power in our voice!’’.
Wendy is a mother of 3 children. Her employer brought her to the UK in 2014 and was rescued by police and then brought to VODW. She was identified as a victim of modern slavery and turned her lived experience into positive action. Wendy has been a speaker representative at many public events and at Labour Party conferences. Wendy became a Trustee in 2021.
Wendy leads the Media and Communication working group. They produced monthly newsletters and campaign graphics and videos. This group has every Saturday night training including new members. Wendy has been named by her peers as the ‘Queen of Social Media’ because of her active presence on social media.