Teaching domestic workers to help themselves
Burdened with the responsibility of having to feed their families back home, foreign domestic workers in Singapore often have to live on a meager allowance with little or no savings.
Dr. Sarah Mavrinac, aidha’s founder and current president
Thanks to a non-profit organisation known as aidha, however, these migrant workers are now able to empower themselves through financial education.
Founded by current president Dr. Sarah Mavrinac in 2006, aidha offers its programmes to low-income workers in Singapore and throughout the Asian region. It also supports employment assistance programmes dedicated to making workers more committed and productive.
Previously a full-time academic drawing a five-figure salary, Dr. Mavrinac was inspired by her stint in the executive committee of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Singapore and its focus on financial education for the socio-economic development of women.
She decided to take on the idea and set up an independent organization to deliver quality business education to lower income groups.
Through aidha, people belonging to these groups are able to learn about financial education, as well as pick up management and entrepreneurial skills.
“It’s the best job in the world,” chirped Dr. Mavrinac, when asked about her job. “You get to participate in economic development at a grassroots level while still enjoying air-conditioning!”
The organization, which is based in Singapore, enrolls more than 1000 students annually. Plans are now in place to expand to regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and even Mexico, according to Dr. Mavrinac.
One of aidha’s most successful programmes is the Compass Club, where trained mentors support groups of women to save towards their goals. Currently, each student saves an average of $240 a month, which is more than half the average salary of a domestic worker. aidha also works to give women a voice by encouraging greater autonomy over their salaries.
Not too bad for a social enterprise that had its humble beginnings in the function room of Dr. Mavrinac’s Nassim Road condominium.
Recalling aidha’s first entrepreneurship class in 2006, she had no idea if anyone would turn up. That very first class drew 25 participants. The weeks Dr. Mavrinac spent preparing for the class are what she calls the turning point that inspired her to persevere with aidha’s work.
“I wanted to cry. It was fascinating and productive, and (the women) had ideas and were getting it,” she explained.
When asked about the biggest lesson she took away from being a social entrepreneur, Dr. Mavrinac said, “I learned that things take time, and that you should never try to do it alone, but engage others and involve them.”
To aspiring social entrepreneurs, Dr. Mavrinac has this piece of advice.
“Just do it. There’s always a fear of the unknown, and we tend to demarcate our capabilities and announce their paralysis. But at some point we have to act. Then the rewards will come.”
To learn more about aidha, visit their website at www.aidha.org.