Faith, Love and Dreams that Fly High By Menchie Duco

Congratulations to Menchie Duco, a dedicated member of The Voice of Domestic Workers UK, for being selected as one of the finalists in the International Domestic Workers Federation’s (IDWF) Voices for Change Art Contest, held as part of the 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based violence and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Her achievement is not only a celebration of artistic talent but also a powerful moment of visibility for domestic workers whose dreams, sacrifices, and stories deserve to be seen and heard.

Today’s featured artwork, “Faith, Love and Dreams that Fly High,” created by the remarkable Menchie Duco, captures the heart and spirit of migrant domestic workers with breathtaking emotional depth. In this moving collage, Menchie opens a window into a world often hidden behind strength and silence. A world built on resilience, sacrifice, and unwavering hope. Through her art, she reminds us that even when oceans separate domestic workers from their loved ones, even when their days are filled with labor, discrimination, hardship, or loneliness in foreign lands, their dreams never lose their wings. They continue to rise, just as Menchie beautifully expresses, “as high as an airplane in the sky.”

Every detail of her collage is alive with meaning. Each color, layer, and symbol feels like a heartbeat, together forming a portrait of courage. It is the courage of a woman who keeps her faith close, carries love in her chest, and refuses to abandon her dreams no matter how heavy life becomes. Her artwork radiates a message of strength, whispering that domestic workers are not defined by the limitations imposed on them, but by the depths of their spirit and the power of their aspirations.

Menchie’s piece honors the emotional and physical journey of migrant domestic workers. It recognizes the sleepless nights, the long working hours, and the years spent away from children who grow up too fast without them. It acknowledges the quiet tears shed in moments of longing and the brave smiles worn in moments of hope. And above all, it celebrates their unwavering purpose, “to make my family happy and give them a better life.”

In those words lies the story of millions mothers, daughters, sisters, and breadwinners who carry entire futures on their shoulders. Through her art, Menchie reminds us of a powerful truth dreams, too, have rights. They deserve to be nurtured. They deserve to be protected. They deserve to be seen. In a world where domestic workers are too often overlooked, unheard, or undervalued, Menchie’s artwork becomes more than visual expression, it becomes a statement of existence, dignity, and hope. It declares to the world, We are here. We dream. And our dreams deserve to fly.

Her piece is not only a celebration of personal resilience but also a call for collective recognition. It urges us to honor the hands that care, the hearts that endure, and the dreams that continue to soar despite every struggle. “Faith, Love and Dreams that Fly High” is a radiant reminder that even in the harshest journeys, the human spirit will always find a way to rise. To see the full list of winners and celebrate their incredible work, please visit idwfed.org

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