How could we be happy without you?
 

by Chamitha Kuruppu

Fifty-six year old Lechchumi has spent most of her life serving as a housemaid in the Middle East. Thanks to her 'riyals', today Lechchumi's family leads a respectable and happy life. Having achieved more than she ever has imagined - a 'filmy' wedding for her daughter, a good education for her two sons - today she longs for one simple dream to come true. The day her youngest son calls her 'amma'.

"He was only four months when I left him for a job in Riyadh. I had two elder children. So it wasn't very difficult for me to leave him at that time," recalls Lechchumi.

Following her first job in Riyadh she worked in several places for nearly two decades. "My daughter looked after the two sons and the youngest son is very much attached to her. He even refers to her as 'amma'. When he falls ill he wants my daughter to be with him. Although it is I who cook at home, he always goes to his sister when he feels hungry," laments Lechchumi.

"Now that my daughter is married she will not to be able to take care of the youngest son as she always used to do. My son does not want to accept me as his mother. I wish I never went away leaving him alone at such a tender age. I have earned money but lost the love of my son," says Lechchumi as tears roll down her cheeks.

Thirty-something Fareeda from Badulla is a mother of two daughters. The eldest daughter had just turned two when she first went for a foreign job. In an unknown land amidst strangers Fareeda could only think about the warmth of her daughter.

She was missing her daughter and cried thinking about her day and night. Poor Fareeda could not concentrate on her work and was often harassed by her 'mama'. Within months she was sent back to Sri Lanka.

"When I came back my daughter was in hospital. She fell sick and there wasn't anybody to look after her. My husband who promised to take care of her had gone to Colombo for a job.

After suffering for weeks she was admitted to the Badulla hospital," recalls Fareeda. "Although I spent five months in Dubai I couldn't earn a single rupee. And when I returned to the country my daughter was sick and devastated. At that moment I thought I would never leave her again," stresses Fareeda.

Lechchumi and Fareeda are among the thousands of women who leave their children and family for foreign employment. In year 2006, 2.15 lakhs of Sri Lankans left for foreign employment of which 55 per cent were females. In 2006, migrant workers' remittances amounted to US $2.2 billion.

The amount equivalent to over nine percent of the country's gross domestic product represents Sri Lanka's second-highest form of foreign-exchange earnings. But the question remains have they contributed enough for the betterment of their children?

Have they earned enough to repay the absence of a mother's affection and love for the children.

Every year, a considerable number of female migrant workers who are unable to bear the absence of their children return to the country within a few months. These women who fail to fulfil their responsibility of daily work are often harassed by their master and end up having to stomach the cost of their air tickets and other expenses when they return to Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, when the women suffer in an unknown country, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment constantly receive letters - from innocent children urging the bureau to 'bring back' their amma home, hundreds of requests from spouses, and doctors demanding the care and protection to children physically and mentally ill due to the absence of their mothers.

There is no doubt that the social cost of mothers leaving their children for foreign employment surpasses the foreign exchange they are bringing to the country. Is the country ready to accept a future generation that has received less caring and love who are malnourished and vulnerable during their early childhood? The issue has drawn much attention and is constantly debated by interested parties.

Following years of speculation the government on International Women's Day announced that the Cabinet has approved a request made by the Ministry of Child Development and Women Empowerment to ban mothers with under five leaving for foreign employment.

According to the Deputy General Manager Foreign Affairs of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment L. K. Ruhunage a special mechanism will be formed in order to implement the new regulation.

"In future the approval of a Committee at the Divisional Secretariat level specially set up for this purpose would be required for foreign employment for mothers with young children. Meanwhile, a certificate issued by the Gramaseva officer is also vital for women who seek foreign employment," explained Ruhunage.

However, according to the Secretary to the Ministry of Child Development and Women Empowerment, Indrani Sugathadasa the decision has now taken a controversial twist. "People argue that the decision is a discrimination against women and prevent them from making an income for the welfare of their family," she said adding "The ministry strongly believes that the decision will have a healthy impact on child development in the long run,".

Sugathadasa expressed that the social cost of the issue is much more higher than the remittance received from migrant workers. " Early childhood is an important stage in an individual's life. A child has a right to receive a mother's love and protection during their growing years. If a child's nutrition and education is destructed it affects his entire future," Sugathadasa explained.

She pointed out that in the same way children suffer due to the absence of their mothers, most migrant working-mothers too are tormented and therefore harassed by their masters. "Once I met a young woman who had left three month old baby.

Her jacket was wet from her leaking breasts. She looked devastated and had been crying from the day she left the country. Do you think the money she earns is worth the pain and agony she is going through?" She queried.

According to Sugathadasa Child Development and Women Empowerment Minister Sumedha Jayasena has instructed her officials to entrust the welfare of children in the country and provide them every protection they need. "The Minister has clearly stated that this is only an initial step. We will take every necessary step needed to make sure that children are very well looked after and taken care of," she added.

During the special training provided by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment every aspiring migrant worker is educated on how to take care of the children during their absence. On the last day of the training program a special session is held to educate the spouses of these women on the wellbeing of the young children.

The proprietor of a well reputed recruiting agency in Colombo who wished to remain anonymous said that most women are well aware of the consequences but still wish to leave their children behind for foreign employment due to financial difficulties.

"This new regulation has two aspects," says Sumithra Fernando, a counsellor from Women In Need. "The ban will restrict the mobility of women, their right to earn some money and a better economic situation. On the other hand there is no one in the world who could look after a child than the mother," says Fernando.

"It is not a secret that most children whose mothers are abroad are neglected and left without their basic requirements. These children are sexually abused and deprived of their right to an education," explained Fernando adding " We will lose the foreign exchange butthe benefits will be immense in the long run,".

Ten year old Vinod was too young to understand about the ban. But he was eager to know whether the new law could bring his mother back. "Will the government bring amma back? then shall I not post this letter to her. I have been keeping it safe from last December?"

Dear Amma,

I have passed the third term exam well. I am the third in the class. I scored the highest marks for Maths and Science as I promised you. Everyone was happy for me. But how could I be happy without you. Please come back. Malli and I need you.

Love - Loku Putha.