Perkenalkan Fely, salah satu dari ratusan domestic worker yang bekerja di Singapura demi meraih sesuap nasi dan segenggam harapan demi mencukupi keluarga mereka di Indonesia. Karena situasi dan kondisi, mereka berani mengorbankan diri bekerja keras di negeri orang demi membahagiakan keluarga. Namun, mereka tidak pernah melupakan cita-cita mereka dan selalu berjuang untuk mendapatkan apa yang mereka mau. Berikut adalah cerita Fely, dan perjuangannya disela-sela kesibukan harinya belajar untuk menamatkan SMA nya melalui paket C dan menempuh perguruan tinggi di Universitas Terbuka. Semoga cerita Fely bisa menjadi motivasi bagi Diaspora Indonesia diluar sana untuk tidak berhenti menggapai cita-cita.
Based on a memoir written by Sri Mulyaningsih Fely, written by Aditya Hendrayana
I came from Cirebon, west of Java Island in Indonesia. When I was very young, I once had a dream of becoming a journalist and a writer. My interest in writing has sparked since my Primary School days — I love writing, I write a lot, and I believe it has been a part of me ever since. “Daddy, daddy… one day I want to be a writer, I want to be a journalist!” told the younger me to my father, as if there is nothing that can stop me.
However, life is not always rainbows and sunshine. Soon as I finished secondary school, my family faced financial difficulties as my father declared bankruptcy. Money was tight and life was difficult. My once vivid dream of becoming a writer became just a glimmering hope… A hope that I still carry up to this day.
My Initial Struggles
I kept thinking of ways that can I help my father to get back from his bankruptcy. So by the time I finished my secondary school, I followed my uncle to work in Jakarta as a cashier at the age of 15. I learned how to work hard, pray hard, and how not to give up since even though I moved out to Jakarta where I received a bigger salary, it was just barely enough to cover my rent.
Picture 1: My early years in Singapore
I knew that I can do better than this, my father was the only source of motivation why I was working so hard and I want to help him and make him proud. The opportunity came whereby there was this agency that was looking for a domestic worker in Singapore. I thought to myself… why don’t I give a shot?
“Are you crazy? You only graduated from middle school in the middle of nowhere. How can you be working in Singapore? Go back and study instead”, said my father. My father told me to pursue my studies instead but I refused to listen to him and I made my own decisions. I loved my father, and my family so much. So much so that I cannot stop thinking about my father’s problem and how can I help him. Not only that this has dragged us down to a financial hole that we might not recover, but my father was also still burdened by his mortgages and I still have 2 younger siblings that I need to take care of.
So I took the chance and go for it, even though I am aware that being a domestic worker would definitely be more difficult than my relatively comfortable job as a cashier. I thought to myself, what do I have to lose? Singapore Is a very comfortable place and it’s quite near to Indonesia. I also want to hone my English further.
My “Successful” Years in Singapore
I managed to get to Singapore despite the initial resistance and I managed to convince my father that my decision was the best of him and my family. However, it was a little bit of a shock initially when I come to Singapore. But firstly, I must say that everything takes time. Success doesn’t come overnight and everything needs a process in order to get a better life.
When the first time I learned how to be a migrant worker, I felt frustrated. I complain to myself why is my life like this, working in Singapore as a domestic worker, while my friend’s life is much better than mine? What makes things worse was that the agency that helped employ me turn out to be a fraud and he scammed $1000 out of me. I was unemployed for some time and I don’t know what to do.
Picture 2: I can finally read some of my favorite authors in Singapore!
But in those darkest moments, I came back to my initial resolve: Why am I doing this? To whom am I struggling? My father and my younger siblings are the only ones that came into my mind. So I made a promise to myself that I will never be back to Indonesia before my dreams come true: I must help my parents with their financial problems, I will never be back before until I can have a sufficient money to build a house for my parents in Indonesia, and I’ll never go back before I fund a good education for my brother and sister. I prayed and believed in myself that if I want something, miracles would happen to me. If I want my dreams to come true, of course, I also have to work hard, pray hard, and changing my mindset.
I prayed to God and a miracle happened to me. After the agency situation that I had previously, I then met a good employer out of serendipity in Hougang Green bus stop, and it became my employer since. They are very understanding, and I get to get the employer that is according to my wish, and after the first few month and years of practicing, those frustrations of working as a domestic worker slowly fade away and things eventually get better. I learned a lot from my employer family and I also learned to respect each other regardless of the religion. Praying and believing was the key for me and I would like to thank God for giving me such a wonderful, kind, and understanding employer whom I can work for and support my family.
Have hope and Never Give Up – “Paket C” and my steps to becoming an author.
Things are getting better and it worked out very well. I am on track in helping my parents with their finances and I currently help finance my siblings’ education. I sincerely believe since then that I can achieve anything with hard work, faith, and prayer. So my childhood memory came to me and I rekindle my dreams of becoming an author.
Picture 3: My classmates at Siglap
I realize that in order to become a good writer I need to study. While I was working, I try to such in a website to find a school during my day off. I went to the British Council on Napier Road. Which is I look forward to studying there, After I get my placement text there I never know that Will cause me more than a thousand to pay, for the placement text is free. So I can’t support that amount.
An opportunity came when I was introduced to Sekolah Indonesia Singapura at Siglap. I came here because I want to meet my fellow domestic worker to catch up. I met different people that day and everyone has a different outlook on life and ways of thinking, as well as the way they live their lives. Many people feel their lives are very bad while those who actually live worse don’t feel that way. It just so happen that there was this opportunity for me to further my studies through this platform.
Picture 4: Sekolah Indonesia Singapura at Siglap
And so I studied. I decided to take a course on leadership, money management and I graduated from the course in 2017. Following that, I found in a website to take Paket C, which is basically an Non-Formal Education Program as an alternative to the Indonesia Ministry of Education SMA or A-levels. I graduated, and continued to Open University ( UT University Terbuka). I decided to build back my passion to be a Writer. Every Sunday during my off day I spend my time to study and after my free time at night, when I am done with my work, I will usually do my schoolwork and I spent late nights to complete my submission. Even though it was not an easy journey, I am grateful for all the opportunities and I thank God for everything.
Epilogue and My Message to Diasporas
Despite the turmoils that I have been through, I’m happy to be a migrant worker here in Singapore. I learned many things from the bottom of my heart – from being faithful to never give up in my dreams – and I thank God for all the years developing me in Singapore.
I want to pass three lesson to my fellow diaspora out there, especially my fellow domestic workers: never give up, be kind, and take ownership of your actions. Firstly, even though life might hit you hard, always remember that “Badai Pasti Berlalu“ – a good song that I know and it happens to be the title of the book of my favourite author: Chandra Putra Negara. “Always believe and tell yourself that you are bigger than your problems. You will never give up and you will stay strong” — as Pak Chandra always say.Even if we are faced with mountains of issues ahead of us, we have to step in and believe that there is hope — that there is good coming for every hardship that we face. In hindsight, I realized that all my struggles were a good opportunity that God gave to me to develop myself personally in Singapore, to be an independent woman, and to be a wiser person. Secondly, in addition to being strong and believing in our dreams, we must also be caring and think about others and their feelings, as much as how God cares about us in our daily lives. Be nice and kind to others, it pleases God if we think of others, but God may not think of us if we don’t think care about other people feelings. Lastly, do not be complacent in life and take ownership of whatever action that we took. Life is about choices that every human must take, but it is not always about making the right choices. Sometimes, we are bombarded with many choices, if we are confused with our choices just take one and take ownership of every action that we took. Enjoy the ride and bear the consequences. In life, we’ll face a lot of problems, obstacles, and trials — that is normal. But your outlook on these problems and how you deal with every issue that is coming to you is what makes you exceptional.
Picture 5: Aim for the stars and never give up!
Lastly, I would thank God for giving me trials and bittersweet moments in my life. For every happiest of moments, and to the sad ones. Day and night, I always believe and pray to God to help with my problem and He always answers me with His miracles, and that keeps me going even if I sometimes life does not go well as planned. For you, diasporas out there, stay hungry, stay humble, be grateful and continue to pray to God and talk to Him about your life worries so as to give courage and strength to achieve all your dreams especially on the days when the obstacles just keep on coming.
Sri Mulyaningsih Fely is a Domestic Worker working in Singapore. He reached out to Indonesia Mengglobal to let the world know about the story that anyone, even a domestic worker, can have and achieve big dreams.