Househelps: Ordinary Heroes

 Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear aprons.

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Although no one can shoot lasers out of their eyes or control lightning (sigh), our society has some real life superheroes - from first-responders such as ambulance personnel and search-and-rescue teams, to athletes who push themselves to do the best for their team.

However, some of the most admirable individuals are those who's job it is to do the most ordinary tasks. People who consistently take care of the simple, but essential things that make our lives complete. Househelps fall into this category.

Also known as maids or (checks Thesaurus.com) au pairs, these ladies really deserve a shoutout. I'm from Kenya, and in many African countries, a househelp isn't an exclusive worker who only the rich can afford. The average African middle-class household often has at least one househelp who, well, helps around the house.

Oh boy, do they help out a lot. From preparing meals, to doing laundry; washing dishes, cleaning the house; they do pretty much every domestic chore you can think of. Some of their responsibilities usually involve helping to take care of any little children in the homestead: making sure they are well-fed, well-presentable and don't turn the house upside down when Mom and Dad are out.  They're often the first people in the house to get up in the morning and the one of the last ones to go to bed. 

Day after day, week after week, good househelps are an indispensable and essential part of a traditional African household. One article I read a while back highlighted how their absence reveals just how much they do. When your housie goes away for Christmas, suddenly, the dishes don't magically wash themselves. "Was the floor always this dirty? Where are the trash bags kept?"

So, for those of us who are lucky enough to have someone employed to help out around the house, let's be grateful for them. Let's pay them well. Let's give them time off and do some chores for a change if we can.  Props to all the good househelps out there.

Sources:

Lady cleaning a countertop. (2024, MaxSpace Stone Works).