My name is Rose Ann, and I’m 29 years old. I come from the province of Negros Occidental in the Philippines — a place of simplicity, of hardship, and of quiet strength. From a young age, I could feel the weight my parents carried. Raising six children with very little was not easy, and I saw their sacrifices every day. Even as a child, I understood the burden, and I wanted to help.

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At just 13 years old, I became a working student so I wouldn’t be an added burden to my parents. I juggled work and studies, pushing myself through sleepless nights and long days, but eventually, I had to stop college. I knew I needed to earn. I became a domestic worker — not because it was my dream, but because without a degree, doors to better-paying jobs were closed to me.

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I worked in different households, moving from one place to another, simply to survive — not for myself, but for my family. I helped support my younger sister so she could stay in school and finish university. That became my pride: knowing I could help someone else reach a dream that I had to put on hold.

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Eventually, I was lucky to be employed by a big company in the Philippines, and I thought perhaps life was beginning to look up. But in 2020, the pandemic changed everything. I lost my job, like so many others. In the chaos and uncertainty that followed, I made another hard decision — to work abroad once again, this time as a domestic worker.

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It was not an easy path, but I carry no shame. I’m proud of the work I do. Through domestic work, I am able to support my family and, most importantly, provide for my son. Every sacrifice I make is for him — for a future filled with more opportunities, with less pain.

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Now, as I join the Future Voices Revolution 2025, I see a new door opening — a space where I can grow, find my voice, and tell my story not with sorrow, but with strength. I want to gain the confidence to speak up, to advocate not only for myself but for all domestic workers who are still unheard.

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This is no longer just about survival — it’s about transformation. I’m ready to learn, to rise, and to become a voice for dignity, justice, and change.

In 1998, I married and was blessed with three wonderful children — Denisse, now 23, Daniel, 21, and Faith, who is 15. Life as a full-time mother and housewife was demanding, and I dreamed every day of a brighter future for my children. To give them the opportunities they deserve, I made the difficult decision to work overseas as a domestic worker.

In 2013, I started working in Dubai, UAE. Then, in 2014, my Arab employers brought me to London, United Kingdom. But my hopes for a better life were met with hardship. I endured abuse and exploitation until I found the strength to free myself from that pain.

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I was identified as a victim of modern slavery and granted a two-year domestic worker visa — a painful but vital recognition of the suffering I had endured. Today, I work as a nanny and housekeeper in Hackney. Beyond that, I serve as a legal trustee domestic worker with The Voice of Domestic Workers and proudly stand as a frontline campaigner fighting to restore the pre-2012 domestic worker visa — a fight for justice, dignity, and fair treatment for all.

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Now, as I join the Future Voices Revolution 2025, I carry with me not only my story of survival but a deep commitment to create change. This programme offers me the chance to grow stronger, to gain new skills, and to amplify the voices of countless domestic workers who still suffer in silence.

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I am ready to stand tall, to lead, and to be a beacon of hope and strength for my community. Together, through Future Voices, we will fight to reclaim our rights and build a future where every domestic worker is respected, protected, and valued.