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Our Story

The domestic worker landscape in India is a difficult one where women sometimes are the sole bread-winners of their families, often having to work during distressing situations at their homes and, not always, but predominantly tainted by agents and others in power who abuse these women not only while finding them jobs by taking percentages, favours, but also in maintaining those jobs by taking a salary percentage every month. Unfortunately all employers don't always treat the workers with dignity, respect, kindness and fair pay. There is no enforceable minimum wage either set by the government.

Happy Indian Girl
Domestic Worker Landscape

5 years ago, when interviewing for a helper for our home, we came across several women who were good at their work, hard working and in dire need of a job. While we found our helper we kept the rest of these profiles and promised to help them with jobs.

Researching and Writing
Our project

Keeping the Indian Domestic Worker Landscape in mind, our family started on a project called MaidOver with it's core objectives being to provide women domestic workers in Cooke Town, Bangalore, a secure job in homes of compassionate employers. We spent a lot of time with each of these women to understand their backgrounds, problems and what their jobs mean to them. Some of those stories still bring us to tears. We set out to create a database of profiles collected from the women who dropped by our home, a register we maintained at Ascension church and from a database at Holy Ghost Church. We conducted interviews, collected ids and documents and spread the word. Through our network of friends and family in the area (my grandparents moved to Cooke Town in the 60's), we've so far employed 250 women who have been happy at their jobs and fairly compensated.

What we provide
  • A fair, skill-based salary (for cooking, cleaning) above minimum wage and set against references in line with Cooke Town salaries

  • Guaranteed salary payouts between the 1st and 5th of every month with no delays

  • Sundays off

  • 12 days of the year of leave with pay

  • Compassionate employers who provide a workplace which guarantees dignity in labour, access to water and a rest room and most importantly respectful interactions

  • Employers whose requirements are a good match for the helper's skills and availability

  • Build values of punctuality and timely communication in helpers to inform their employers about sickness and planned and unplanned absence

  • Scholarships for children of women belonging to minority communities through the Minorities Commission

  • Government provided Old Age Pension for the elderly in the family of the domestic worker

Lending a Helping Hand
Floral Mask
Covid-19 Additions
  • Paid leave during the crisis unless the employer cannot manage without the helper due to difficult circumstances

  • Salary pay-outs (and online transfers to reduce exposure) between the 1st and 5th of every month with no delays

  • Rations and treats for the family every month

  • Frequent calls to keep in touch and check on the helper's mental health

  • The promise of always having an income in these difficult times, wherein MaidOver will continue to make payments, should the employer disengage

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