‘She’s my best friend’: S’pore employer supported domestic worker’s English lessons, diploma studies

SINGAPORE – When Ms Ika Septia Purnamasari came to Singapore from Indonesia in 2013 for her first job as a domestic worker, she knew how to say only “yes” and “no” in English.

Her employer, Madam Jamie Too, 55, paid more than $1,000 for her to attend lessons at a community centre and a course for the International English Language Testing System test.

Madam Too later encouraged Ms Ika, 35, to take on a three-year diploma course in international hotel and restaurant management with a specialisation in digital business, and funded part of her education.

On Feb 25, Madam Too received the Employer of the Year Award, for which Ms Ika had nominated her, at the annual Chinese New Year celebration and awards luncheon of the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore), or AEA(S). Held at the Amara Singapore hotel in Tanjong Pagar, the event highlights the contributions of outstanding domestic workers and employers.

Ms Ika, who has worked for the same family for more than 12 years, will go home in mid-2026 to take care of her family, including her 13-year-old son.

Noting that she wanted Madam Too to receive the award as a gift, Ms Ika told The Straits Times: “It’s a surprise for her because I feel very blessed meeting her.”

Ms Ika’s first job was her first time travelling out of Indonesia. Madam Too, a business manager at her husband’s events management firm, taught her everything from cooking to taking the bus.

When Ms Ika wanted to quit at the six-month mark because she felt overwhelmed, Madam Too convinced her to stay, saying: “I know you can make it.”

Gradually, Ms Ika’s English proficiency grew through the lessons she attended and conversations with the family. Her cooking repertoire expanded to include Teochew, French and Italian cuisines.

In 2023, with Madam Too’s encouragement, Ms Ika started a diploma course in private school GEA Institute. She attends online classes after work and face-to-face lessons two days a week.

“(I thought) she should upgrade and do something that will be more promising for the future,” said Madam Too.

As Ms Ika is set to graduate in 2026, Madam Too extended her contract by six months so she could complete her studies. The domestic worker hopes to work in the hotel industry back home.

The two women confide in each other regularly about family and work, and have forged a close bond. “She’s my best friend. I don’t tell these kinds of things to anyone else,” said Madam Too, as both women teared up.

Ms Ika said: “We are part of the same family. We sit together, eat together, laugh together. I never feel like I’m an outsider in the house.”

Ms Lasmitri, 49, an Indonesian domestic worker who has worked for the same household for 23 years, won the Migrant Domestic Worker of the Year award. She cares for her 96-year-old employer Low Yip Hoo, and was previously also a caregiver to Madam Low’s husband, who was bedridden after a stroke. He died in 2010.

Ms Lasmitri, who goes by one name, learnt from nurses how to insert catheters and feeding tubes, change diapers and move the elderly man to prevent bed sores.

In 2024, she started pursuing a two-year course at Niellz International College during her days off to pick up elder caregiving skills. Ms Lasmitri hopes to work in a nursing home in the future.

Madam Low, whom Ms Lasmitri calls “Ah Ma”, has mobility issues and depression. Ms Lasmitri not only helps her with daily physical needs, but also calms her down when her mood changes.

Whenever Madam Low is hospitalised, Ms Lasmitri stays with her through the night and rests only when her children visit in the day.

Madam Low’s daughter, Madam Adeline Leong, 67, a childcare centre administrator, said: “We’re grateful that she helps us with all these household chores and looked after our father and mother... Looking after the elderly is not easy.”

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Shawn Huang said at the event that the awards celebrate bonds of care that make migrant domestic workers a vital part of Singapore’s family fabric.

“These inspiring stories remind us that when trust is at the heart of a relationship, it grows beyond a working arrangement into a genuine bond that enriches our lives and brings our community closer together,” he said.

AEA(S) president K. Jayaprema said beyond systems and programmes, what matters most is the mindset and commitment of both employers and workers.

“Responsible employment relationships are built not only on regulation, but on mutual respect, understanding and shared responsibility,” she said.