These are anthologies about domestic workers and their madams. I worked a few times as a domestic worker and experienced hands on hardship of what these determined women go through. Being shouted by madam, her husband and children. It surprised me that in South Africa have 22 years of democracy but still have madams who call their domestic workers "girls". I mean a 40 year woman being called a "Girl" by a 24 year woman. You find an old man called a "garden boy". Madam's kids calling the domestic worker by name not showing respect. I worked for one old woman who demanded respect, yet she "didn't do unto others what she would like them to do to her". Her 15 year old grand-son called me by my name. The day I got angry is when he said "hey Doreen, would you please iron for me this t-shirt". Some people become domestic workers due to poverty, illiteracy due to various reasons. There are domestic workers who have Grade 12 but did not get funds to pay for further studies. I was hurt in this industry and asked God to help me. God told me I was not the only one suffering as a domestic worker and must write a book about it. Madams, husbands, and their children out there to treat domestic workers and gardeners as people like them. Realizing that a domestic worker have a life, have emotions, can be hurt by words, works hard to feed her family. Some of these madams and their families suffer calamities that they cannot explain due to all the pain they caused their domestic workers and laborers over the years. Such bosses do not seem to understand why they suffer, having wealth and power but no peace and no health. I met one domestic worker who quit her job because her madam would not give her time off. The domestic worker's teenage girl was coughing blood. The domestic worker was from the village at least 50 km from the city. She asked her madam time off in order to take her ill child to the hospital. Madam refused to give the domestic worker time off. She did not respond to the request. That was on a Thursday, the next day, Friday, the madam, the husband and children went to the shopping mall after work. They left the domestic worker in the house, worrying about her ill child. The domestic worker quit the job. She said to me "I take good care of this woman's children. She is with her children every day. Couldn't she allow me to take my child to the hospital. What if my child had to die. I know I'm poor and need work, but I cannot work from a heartless woman like this. She is a mother and should know how it feels when a child is sick. I know I don't have the money, my husband is a pensioner and I get Child Support Grant. With this little money I will manage to care for my family". Amongst domestic workers who suffer are mostly Zimbabweans who entered the country illegally. They are exploited, over-worked and underpaid. They don't complain to Department of Labor because they are illegal refugees. They endure hardship and move from one job to the other. One Zimbabwean domestic worker said to me "my sister I know I'm suffering but I do not just accept any work. If madam have dogs and wants me to clean I refuse. In Zimbabwe, women are not allowed to clean up dog mess. It is regarded bad luck". In South Africa there are domestic workers who clean dog mess as part of their daily duties.
About the Author: Doreen Clementine Mampani is a Christian author from South Africa. She is married to Katalay Mampani and God blessed them with a daughter L'amour Mampani. She writes Christian non-fiction books and poetry. She went through rejection at home, in some churches and communities, unemployment, poverty, loss of material possession, sickness and disease and miscarriages. She suffered racism in her home and communities. Born to a Colored woman whose mother was White. She was rejected by some Vendas, Coloreds, Indians and foreign nationals. She was almost raped many times in the community and some churches. She was beaten as a child, deprived of food and clothing. She had to carry water from the well while still young. Doreen is an experienced Personal Assistant, Human Resources Officer, Skills Development Facilitator, yet she worked as a domestic worker to earn money to buy food. She endured first hand hardship of domestic work. Being treated like an illiterate person. When she cried to God about her calamities, God responded and said "My child you are not the only one suffering as a domestic worker like this. Many more cry out to me daily. Talk to more domestic workers. Encourage them to do better, educate their children and fight poverty. Write a book about these calamities". Radio interviewed SABC: Phalaphala Fm on Xenophobia and Africa Day. and SA Fm Literature about her books. Non-fiction: Who Owns Your Soul? Sin Tantalizers, The Reigning of the Refugee, The Citizens Bow to the Refugees, Log of Poverty in the Eye, Awakening of the Impoverished Prince, Deceiving Voice of Poverty, Trapped in the Underworld, Dinning With Deception in the Shrine, Deadly Diabolical Games, Dethroning Poverty from the Golden Throne, Uprooting the Bitter Roots of Abuse, Monster in Mama is Not Bigger Than God, Venom of a Bitter Woman, Who Owns Your Soul? Revised Edition, Monster in Mama is Not Bigger than God Revised Edition, and Venom of a Bitter Woman. Revised Edition. Poetry: The Storeroom Gives Birth to a Story, Tribulation Escorting Triumph, Author Without a Pen, 44 Liters of Tears, The Plague in the Fatherless Home, Great Departure of Mortals, Little Oil in My Lamp, The Song, the Dance, the Table and the Dinning of Souls, Riding on the Back of a Poor Man, Silencing the Laughter of Goliath, Shacks Paving Way for Mansions, Not Yet Time, No Need to Die Early, Drops of Tears in the Desert, 44 Years and 4 Months and Tears of a Domestic Worker.