We Have Freedom in Our Hearts and We Need Our Rights to Bring It Into the World By Kabiba Sapal

I became a domestic worker in March 2023, bringing with me a deep well of faith, family love, and the solidarity of my fellow workers to carry me through the days that require more than ordinary effort. I begin each working morning at eight, steady and present, with the full weight of my reasons behind me.

On the hardest days, prayer is my anchor. And in the quiet of those moments, I hold onto something I believe with conviction: I have rights. I want employers to know it. I want governments to know it. And I want young people to grow up already knowing it, so that the next generation of domestic workers steps into their profession backed by protections that were always theirs to have.

I am completely hopeful that things will improve, holding that belief at the highest possible level. The employers I work with offer a lot of respect, which reflects a positive immediate experience. But the government and the general public, in my view, offer only a little, and that gap between the personal and the structural is one that I am acutely aware of.

The right I identify as most urgently needing restoration is the right to change employer without restrictions. I hold this as very important, understanding that a worker who cannot freely choose where she works is a worker whose safety and dignity are permanently at risk. The freedom to leave a harmful situation without fear of losing everything is not a benefit. It is a baseline.

VODW's campaign for the right to change employer without restrictions is designed to restore exactly this. When I cannot leave my employer without also losing my legal status, the power imbalance becomes extreme. Restoring this right means restoring the basic dignity of being able to say: I will not work in conditions that harm me.

I also believe the right to renew the ODW Visa is very important, and that the right to settlement and the path to citizenship are worth fighting for as well. I consider all four of these rights as part of the complete picture of what a protected life looks like for a domestic worker.

I spend three hours each week worrying about my job and visa situation. The freedom I speak of is already present inside me, in my values and my sense of self. What I need is for the systems around me to reflect it. VODW's work is about closing that gap, building the legal and structural conditions that allow the internal freedom every domestic worker carries to become a lived external reality. My voice, faithful and firm, is part of that building.

---

 Join Us in Supporting Migrant Domestic Workers Escaping Abuse

DONATE HERE 

Migrant domestic workers who have fled abusive employment urgently need your help. They’ve left behind exploitation and are taking brave steps toward safety—but they need support for basic needs like shelter, food, clothing, and counseling.

 "With your donation, we can provide immediate relief and a pathway to rebuilding lives in dignity and safety."

Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us provide essentials, temporary housing, job training, and emotional support. Together, we can offer a lifeline to those starting over.

Donate today to make an impact and be a part of their journey to freedom, recovery, and empowerment.

DONATE HERE