Indian maid wins award in Singapore

Singapore, Oct 25: An Indian national, working here as a maid, has been awarded by a women welfare association for her dedicated service to bed-ridden employer.

Easwari Shellaiah, 47, was chosen model caregiving domestic helper of the year by Asian Women's Welfare Association (AWWA), The Sunday Times reported today.

Easwari helped her employer Madam Kalaiselvi, 53, who suffered a stroke in 2011, cheering her up, carrying her from bed to wheelchair, helping her to the toilet and taking her thrice a week to AWWA Readycare Centre.

Easwari, supports her widowed employer, 76 kg, moving her from bed to wheelchair since she started working in 2011.

Easwari, whose father died when she was 12, started helping at one of Mother Teresa's charities in Chennai at the age of 14. She moved to Singapore in 1986 working with a voluntary welfare organisation, Swami Home.

Easwari, who is paid 400 dollar a month, will be returning home tomorrow which is a night's journey from Chennai.

She will be joining her younger siblings for a month after five years and help take care of her mother, who has a heart problem.

"I just want to keep on giving and helping others. I am happiest when I feel that I have helped others live better," Easwari said.

PTI