QATIF, 7 January 2006 — Wedad Al-Suleiman, mother of a three-year-old baby, was relieved that she was able to find a babysitter living in the neighborhood — not only that, but she found a Saudi babysitter.
Playing her part in the progressive momentum of her country, Wedad is one of the growing number of professional Saudi women who are juggling jobs outside the home — in Wedad’s case, as a hospital administrator — along with their jobs inside the home, as housewives and moms.
Fatima, on the other hand, is putting a new angle on the concept of Saudization by using her spare time as a married woman with no children to do a job often reserved for foreign domestic helpers, according to a report in Asharq Al-Awsat.
This has become a perfect example of two Saudi women facing new realities: one working Saudi woman hiring another to help out with the domestic chores of motherhood.
Fatima initially offered to care for the baby for free. Wedad refused, offering instead a SR1,000 monthly salary.
Fatima’s offer turned into a small business as she took on more babysitting jobs. Eventually she was earning SR6,000 a month. Instead of taking kids into her house, she began taking care of children at the homes of parents who go away for weddings or other occasions. When Fatima became pregnant herself she hired another unemployed friend to help out. Eventually she took on more friends and her venture started to take shape. She even added classes in reading, math and the Qur’an.
“My business grew fast. I advertised my services in newspapers. I worked from morning to afternoon. People began coming to me after they learned there is such a thing as a Saudi babysitter,” said Fatima, who pointed out that in order to avoid harassment, she used her husband’s phone number in the ads.
She said that there is no shame in her business, but there is shame in sitting at home doing nothing.
Another Saudi babysitter, Amal, said that she is giving different programs to children depending on their age. Saudis are wanted in the babysitting business according to Amal.
She said that there are lots of ads on shopping center boards from families requesting Saudi babysitters. Families believe that Saudi babysitters are better than foreigners because they know more of the local culture and heritage.
Whatever the reasons may be, for Fatima and Wedad this arrangement became a perfect match for two Saudi women, and perhaps in a small part for the benefit of Saudization and the country as a whole.
And while the government continues to work on reforms to help empower women, at least a few of them have taken the initiative to empower themselves.
Women tackling unemployment by turning their kitchens into restaurants is a common scene in the holy city of Makkah these days.
Haleema Mirza is just one of them. She started running her home-based restaurant when she failed to secure a decent job.
Haleema, who cooks all types of food, has her regular customers, and has even begun catering birthdays, weddings and the like.
Hafiza Bukhari is another enterprising cook who started years ago. She attributes her success to her determination and doing a clean job, which earned her customers’ trust.
Princess Adila bint Abdullah recently urged women to empower themselves in affairs that concern them. Apparently, these women are doing just that.
