Still Working, Still Dreaming

I am Momtaz. Four years ago, I came to Dhaka from Sherpur to work as a domestic worker and earn my living. A woman’s hands can carry a household, even when nobody notices.

I have one son and four daughters. I married them all off, and today I have grandchildren. My children are settled, so I no longer work only for them. I work for myself and for tomorrow.

I have worked in people’s homes for years. Once, illness forced me to stop for four or five months. When I recovered, I returned to Dhaka and started again. For women like me, illness does not simply mean pain. It can also mean lost income, unpaid expenses and uncertainty about tomorrow.

Domestic work happens quietly, behind other people’s doors, but it is work nonetheless. We clean, cook and care, helping families run their daily lives. Yet our labouris often overlooked. When we stop, even briefly, our earnings stop too.

Now I work a few hours a day in one home. From the first of next month, I hope to take another job. One income is not enough for my rent and daily needs too. So I am looking for another household where I can work.

I know I cannot remain in Dhaka forever. Perhaps I can continue for another year or so. I want to use that time wisely, earn what I can and prepare for what comes next. People may see a domestic worker. But I am also a mother, grandmother and a woman with hopes. My work may be invisible, but it has value. I want to be treated with dignity and respect.

I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I know this: I am still working, still planning and still building a future of my own.