Building Confidence One Class at a Time Helped Me See Myself in a Brighter Light By Jackielyn
I joined VODW with one clear goal in mind, to build my confidence. It is a goal that sounds simple, but for a domestic worker who has spent years prioritising everyone else's needs above my own, choosing to invest in myself was an act of quiet courage. I arrived feeling both nervous and excited, unsure exactly what the classes would bring but hopeful they might bring something good.
Over more than two years in ESOL and IT classes, I found exactly what I was looking for, and more. The lessons in communication taught me not just how to speak, but how to connect, with teachers, with fellow domestic workers, and eventually with a stronger version of myself. I felt reconnected with myself during my sessions, a phrase that speaks to something many workers lose touch with while caring endlessly for others. Slowly, steadily, my confidence built.
By the end of my time in the classes, my outlook had shifted in a way I can describe simply but powerfully: VODW helped me see myself in a more positive way. That shift matters enormously. Confidence is not just a personal comfort, it is often the very thing that allows a domestic worker to speak up when something is wrong, to ask questions about her rights, or to imagine a future beyond her current circumstances.
Graduation day brought excitement, a fitting close to a journey that began with nerves and ended with pride. My message to my teachers is warm and direct,
thanks for the opportunity and for the sacrifices made to create a space where women like me could grow. It is a small sentence carrying a great deal of gratitude.
My hope for what comes next is refreshingly clear: I want to keep learning and keep improving my confidence. That ongoing commitment to growth reflects exactly the spirit VODW hopes to instil in every member, the understanding that confidence, once built, becomes the foundation for everything else, including the ability to advocate for the rights every domestic worker deserves, from fair treatment at work to the freedom to change employer without restriction and eventually build a secure, settled life.
My story is a gentle but powerful reminder that sometimes the most important lesson learned in a classroom is not a skill at all, but a belief. I walked in hoping to feel more confident. I walked out believing, finally, that I deserved to.
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