My name is Mya Aye. I am native of the Ayeyarwady Delta region. I came to Yangon for work to cover school fees and costs when I was a high school student. After I finished school, I worked as a babysitter for about 13 years. Later on, I started work as a domestic worker, which I have been doing for the last 7 years. During that time, I had the opportunity to attend an ILO training course at Three Good Spoons in Yangon called “License to Stir”. After finishing the course, I had a better understanding of what my wages and working conditions should be. When I returned to working again, I negotiated with my employer regarding the work hours, rest hours and pay I would receive. My employer agreed to the terms I proposed and increased my salary from USD 250 to USD 350 per month. In June 2020, my employer returned to their home country but they also helped me to find a new employer before leaving. Now I am happy with my work and receive USD 400 in monthly wages with decent working conditions and entitlements. This is because of what I learned at the Three Good Spoons programme, which increased my confidence and knowledge about labour rights. Now I feel more assured of the value of my work and am aware of and understand the terms and conditions included in my employment contract. I am grateful to the Three Good Spoons programme as the skills and lessons I learned have made a big difference in my life and I hope that other domestic workers will also be able to gain such skills. Now, I am saving my salary to start up a business in my hometown. That is my dream. I would like to urge all domestic workers to attend the Three Good Spoons training so that they can pursue their dreams too.
