Working women face more tasks during Ramadan

The demand for domestic help and cooks has gone up in the Kingdom with the advent of Ramadan, with most working women finding it hard to manage household chores, including cooking.
Domestic help and cooks expect higher wages, which, in some cases, amount to half the earnings of women who seek assistance. Ramadan is an occasion when the families’ priority for an elaborate fare on the dinner table is pretty high, as is the tradition in the Kingdom.
Sarah Alayan, a Saudi banking employee, advocating Ramadan vacation for women, says such a move would help women to pay more attention to the family needs and cooking up good meals during the Holy Month.
“Apart from enjoying time with the family, devoting time to Allah while fasting and going to work at the same time is impossible,” says Alayan, adding that the only time she gets a few minutes off from work is during the Suhur and Asr prayers.
Alayan says that very often, families order food from outside during Ramadan because by the time the working women reach home, there is not enough time to put together a meal. “Otherwise, it is always a rush. As soon as I get home, I go straight to the kitchen to start preparing for the iftar meal,” she said, and pointed out that though she was a Saudi woman, she doesn’t have a maid. “I don’t them and I prefer it this way.”
Many working women were of the view that one rarely finds an understanding husband who is willing to help out his wife in the kitchen. And this often leads to arguments at home during Ramadan, they say.
“As usual, the husband likes to see the table spread with mouth-watering dishes but doesn’t believe in lending a helping hand in the kitchen,” says Lujain Sharif, a business development manager at a reputed company in Al-Khobar. “It is actually the mindset of men that is to blame. The woman’s place is the kitchen and a man entering a kitchen is not acceptable. This has been drilled into the minds of most Arab men,” she said, but hastens to add that she was making a general statement and not referring to her husband or any other particular person.
“It is a battle for me as a working mother of two. After spending 6-7 hours a day at work during Ramadan, I have to rush home to start preparing a meal for iftar right away. It is very tiring. After iftar, cleaning up, tidying the home and looking into kids matters takes the rest of the time until it is time for Isha and I have to go for Taraweeh prayers to the nearby mosque. Soon after Taraweeh prayers, we go shopping. Every day during Ramadan is a very hectic schedule for me,” she said.
Stating that she cannot afford a maid, especially due to increased expenditure during Ramadan, she said: “Maids demand big amounts nowadays even for simple tasks. For example, they demand SR 3,000 just for cooking, which is almost half my salary.”
Other working women depend on the services of women who prepare home-made dishes and deliver them to houses. “Especially during Ramadan, many relish home-cooked food rather than from outside,” says Umm Haya.
“It is a good source of revenue generation for some people during the Holy Month. I take orders to prepare snacks and sweets for iftar, and other dishes for dinner and sahoor,” she said.
Umm Haya takes orders for home-cooked food during Ramadan every year and delivers them at the doorsteps of her customers.