By: Anwar Sholihin, LPKP Jatim

Community-based organisation called Lembaga Pengkajian Kemasyarakatan dan Pembangunan (LPKP Jatim), an Empowerment grantee from Indonesia, helps to empower domestic workers through capacity-strengthening, storytelling, and campaigning.  As part of their activities, they have developed an exciting radio programme aimed at expanding the campaign’s reach. And if that is not all, they have recently documented valuable stories of empowerment and change from the journeys undertaken by domestic workers.

LPKP Jatim and their rightsholders compiled learnings and wrote stories in the form of a book entitled “Tangan Perubahan” or Hands of Change. Through this book other people can find out that domestic workers are the same as other workers who have rights, obligations and big responsibilities.

“Tangan Perubahan” is a collection of stories and experiences by the members of the Anggrek Maya domestic workers organisation -part of LPKP Jatim- who are involved in the decent work programme that aims to eliminate child domestic labour. The members have also been involved in a previous programme with the International Labor Organization, promoting decent work for domestic workers.

Through their programme, domestic workers are given knowledge and skills related to household management (housekeeping, family cooking, and laundry) in accordance with the Indonesian National Work Competency Standards. After participating in the skills training programme, domestic workers undergo a competency test that enables them to apply for work. Moreover, domestic workers are also given knowledge and insights about decent work which include several things such as written work agreement, protection of wages, overtime allowances, menstrual leave, maternity leave, social security among others. Through awareness-and knowledge-raising, domestic workers learn about both their rights and obligations.

The knowledge, insights, and skills that are learned are being applied in their workplaces. Changes have already occurred both at the personal and professional level, such as an increase in wages, existence of written work agreement, guarantee of social security, increased efficiency in work, and more importantly, the courage to express opinions.

Here is a downloadable file in English for you to enjoy and get inspiration from!