The Conversation

Domestic Workers: Marissa Begonia and Siphokazi Mdlankomo


Listen Later

Siphokazi Mdlankomo comes from South Africa and Marissa Begonia from the Philippines but they have plenty in common. They have both dedicated a great deal of their lives to taking care of other people's households and children. They are Kim Chakanetsa's guests on this programme and they are discussing life as a domestic worker.

Marissa Begonia left her three young children to work overseas. It was a tough decision for her but she couldn't bear to see them going hungry at home in the Philippines. She found work initially in Hong Kong and then Singapore and finally London. Her choice has worked out for her, after years of providing for her children back home, she was finally able to bring them to join her in London. But the separation has taken its toll on all of them, and so has the work. Melissa has seen and heard of so much mistreatment among domestic workers that she decided to set up an organisation to protect the rights and welfare of others in her profession. The organisation is called Justice for Domestic Workers.

Until very recently Siphokazi Mdlankomo was working for a family in Johannesburg, South Africa but she's had to leave her job to focus full time on her new role on television and writing cookery books. She came to fame when she was runner-up in the South African reality TV show Master Chef. Her cooking has come a long way since she started her working life. She looks back fondly at the young Siphokazi, just starting out in her career, back then, she didn't know what garlic was, or fresh herbs or how to make a piece of toast.

Siphokazi and Marissa share their intimate, moving and sometimes funny stories of running someone else's household.

(Photo: Marissa Begonia (L) and (R) Siphokazi Mdlankomo)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The ConversationBy BBC World Service

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

69 ratings


More shows like The Conversation

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,708 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,040 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,541 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,884 Listeners

In Our Time: Culture by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Culture

607 Listeners

In Our Time: Science by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Science

726 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,827 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,056 Listeners

Culips Everyday English Podcast by Culips English Podcast

Culips Everyday English Podcast

984 Listeners

Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson by Luke Thompson

Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson

670 Listeners

Learning English Vocabulary by BBC Radio

Learning English Vocabulary

529 Listeners

Learning English Stories by BBC Radio

Learning English Stories

395 Listeners

RealLife English: Learn and Speak Confident, Natural English by RealLife English

RealLife English: Learn and Speak Confident, Natural English

476 Listeners

Learning English Grammar by BBC Radio

Learning English Grammar

324 Listeners

Learning English from the News by BBC Radio

Learning English from the News

266 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,155 Listeners

IELTS Speaking for Success by Podcourses

IELTS Speaking for Success

502 Listeners

The British English Podcast by Charlie Baxter

The British English Podcast

68 Listeners

Thinking in English by Thomas Wilkinson

Thinking in English

109 Listeners

Cyber Hack by BBC World Service

Cyber Hack

1,636 Listeners

What in the World by BBC World Service

What in the World

20 Listeners

Learning English For Work by BBC News

Learning English For Work

52 Listeners

Learning Easy English by BBC

Learning Easy English

116 Listeners