Shekainah thanks TIL
Shekainah was thrown out with 6 mths salary unpaid. This Is Lebanon got her paid in full. Her employers wanted to move to Canada which made it much easier.
Worker
Shekainah
THE VIDEO
Shekainah Thanks This Is Lebanon
THE STORY
Shekainah went to Lebanon on the understanding that she would work as a ‘house help’. She was surprised to find that her duties included not only cleaning the house but also being nanny to a 14 month-old toddler. She wrote, “In my country the job description u sign for is exactly what u are going to do e.g you sign for nanny, house help or cook - any that you sign for that's what you are going to be doing.” Not so in Lebanon.
Shekainah said she was overworked,
“Honestly too much over work as if the person working is not a human being like them or is it because of skin colour difference? They should know we are not machines.. that we are human beings like them with flesh and blood.”
Overwork was to become the least of her problems. In July, there was a problem with payment. When she insisted on being paid the $1200 she was owed, her employer began to abuse her physically. She wrote, “He started beating, kicking, punching and pushing me out of their house. Then I started screaming and some people came to my aid.” Her agent came and picked her up.
This Is Lebanon contacted her employers who were reluctant to pay. However, they were planning to move to Canada for the birth of their child and realized that non-payment could jeopardize their plans. The Canadian authorities would take a dim view of forced labour. Consequently, Shekainah received her full salary and is now with a new employer who is paying her regularly.
She expressed her gratitude:
“Thanks so much This is Lebanon. For all Your efforts, I heart 
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القصة
ذهبت شيكاينه إلى لبنان على أساس أنها ستعمل "مساعدة منزلية". لكنها فوجئت حين عرفت أن واجباتها لا تشتمل فقط على تنظيف المنزل بل رعاية طفل يبلغ من العمر 14 شهراً أيضاً. كتبت لنا: "في بلدي، وصف الوظيفة الذي توقع عليه هو بالضبط ما ستقوم به، على سبيل المثال، تقوم بالتوقيع على مربية أو مساعدة منزلية أو طاهية - أي شيء تقوم بالتوقيع عليه هو ما ستفعله". ليس الأمر هكذا في لبنان.
قالت شيكاينه إنها كانت تعمل فوق طاقتها:
"بصراحة هناك الكثير من ضغط العمل وكأن العاملة ليست بشراً مثلهم أم هل هو بسبب اختلاف لون البشرة؟ يجب أن يعرفوا أننا لسنا آلات.. إننا بشر مثلهم من لحم ودم."
كان الإفراط في العمل هو أصغر مشاكل شيكاينه. وفي تموز، كانت هناك مشكلة في الدفع. عندما أصرت شيكاينه على أن تتقاضى مستحقاتها المالية البالغة 1200 دولار، "بدأ يضربني ويركلني ويلكمني ودفعني بالقوة للخروج من منزلهم. ثم بدأت بالصراخ فجاء بعض الناس لمساعدتي." جاء وكيلها وأخذها.
اتصلت جمعية "هذا لبنان" بأصحاب العمل الذين كانوا مترددين في الدفع. لحسن الحظ، كانوا يخططون للانتقال إلى كندا من أجل ولادة طفلهم وأدركوا أن عدم الدفع قد يعرض مخططهم للخطر. تنظر السلطات الكندية نظرة قاتمة إلى العمل القسري. حصلت شيكاينه على راتبها كاملاً، وهي الآن مع صاحب عمل جديد يدفع لها بانتظام.
"شكراً جزيلاً هذا لبنان. على كل جهودكم، أحبكم من صميم قلبي."
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