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Mabuhay si Eba! Empowered returning Pinays at POLO Dubai through first household skills training

Learning never stops for sheltered Pinays who worked in the UAE as they gained more knowledge on the first-ever basic housekeeping training at Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) while waiting for their return back home.

34 Overseas Filipina Workers attended and learned theoretical and practical skills about different household activities including cleaning of public areas, handling facilities and equipment, cleaning guest rooms, handling intoxicated guests, and making up of bedsheets, which are necessary skills in doing household chores. The training primarily handled for the first time by POWER Technical Training Center.

“The objective is to provide practical training in cleaning residential areas or facility, indoor and outdoor cleaning, bed making/fixing, and related household tasks,” said Felicitas Q. Bay, Labor attaché.

“We limit Our POLO training for the meantime to sheltered women to prepare them to go home, to enhance their skills and to make them productive during their stay with us,” she added.

Trainees attended

From 2017, a total number of 431 Pinays underwent regular training on basic sewing, knitting, and crocheting with 32 overall numbers of sessions. 284 OFWs learned about basic and intermediate caregiving, which has seven total number of sessions, and baking training with six sessions handling 158 trainees.

This year, trainings were provided including basic computer operations, behavior management, candle stamping, financial literacy, massage therapy, and soap making. These series of trainings were facilitated to empower women, and preparing them for their next plans and jobs soon, wherever they go.

“We are uplifting your spirit to improve yourselves, as we are preparing you on possible employment opportunities in the Philippines, and should you wish to work abroad again, these training will make you real-world ready,” Ms. Bay added.

Imelda T. Hermosisima- main housekeeping training facilitator said that her goal is to help them find more jobs in the future as they return to the Philippines sooner or later.

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“I am so happy that I shared my talents, my knowledge and expertise in housekeeping to these women here in POLO. I am also hoping I could touch their lives also,” Hermosisima said.

“I am looking forward that they will update their curriculum vitae sooner or later, use their knowledge they gained here, and be proud of their received certificates that they can use for future possibilities,” she added.

She also said that one-day basic training was not enough, so she tried to compress everything they need to know so that they could learn a lot from basic cleaning methods, bed-making techniques, room attending, and managing guests.

“On my first batch, they all cried ‘cause they were so thankful. I gave them everything they need since I am also an assessor, I know what are their needs, their competencies, and the learning outcomes that they need as an individual learner) she expressed.

The wards have expressed that they will be able to use the skills learned.

Returning OFWs soon

For “Lynda”- not her real name, 35 from Davao City, she believed that the training she attended would be great help for her total being, and gave a chance to craft her plans in the future. She only worked for months in UAE but due to working condition problems, she decided to ask for POLO’s help.

For her, attending training was a great opportunity she received.
“It became my training ground not only in my personal life but it also made me stronger’ “Lynda” claimed.

“We all know how to clean, but we don’t know how to properly clean, ‘cause we have lack of knowledge in housekeeping. It doesn’t mean I know how to clean, but there be a lot of things to know more. The do’s and don’ts, the should be’s and should not’s,” she expressed.

“Kinaya ko ang lahat… dito ako nabuo, ditto ako naging mas matatag,” (I made it! I became whole here again, and I became stronger here) she emphasized.

Lynda is now excited to see the Philippines as her family is waiting for her return. She is planning to find work in the country and help. Now Lynda is currently working for her documents and will return to the Philippines after a week.

Also, twenty-nine-year-old “Rowena”- also not her real name from Basilan who risked herself working abroad was thankful for the kind of training on housekeeping she attended. “Rowena” came from five different employers. Now, she is fully decided to return.

“Kasi gusto ko po matuto at makakuha ng certificates… natuto po ako kung paano ang tamang galaw sa paglilinis. Syempre, naglilinis tayo sa bahay pero dito ko natutunan kung paano ang tamang tayo at tamang kilos,” (Because I want to learn and get certificates… I learned proper positions when cleaning. We all do the cleaning duties but I learned here the proper ways and ethics) she said.

She also explained that it was the housekeeping training that taught her to identify the do’s and don’ts.

“Kung may pagkakataon na ako ay makapasok uli abroad, magagamit ko ito uli,” (If there is another chance in the future, I can use all the learning I gained here) “Rowena” emphasized.

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