26 new applicants

26  new applicants showed up for our 1 week long orientation today. We'll be posting their bios in the next few days. Stayed tuned. 

My helper wants to go home to the Philippines. What should I do?

Recently we've had several employers call us to say "my helper didn't come back after Christmas." In one case the helper had only been here for one month.  Helpers come with the understanding that the contract is 2 years and that they may be required to complete the 2 years before having a long break back in the Philippines. What should you do if your helper asks to go back to the Philippines before she is eligible for annual leave or before she has finished her contract? Here are some suggested replies or actions :

               You're Kidding? Right?

• "Are you kidding? You've been here ___ months and you want a vacation already?"
• "I'm sorry. We can't afford to have to you gone just now."
• "Sorry, No."
• "You're really funny. I thought you were serious. Good joke."

Seriously, if your helper asks for time off and she is not due for annual leave or finishing her contract do the following:

Do's

• Listen Objectively: Don't pay attention to tears or distraught emotions. Ask questions and try your best to find out the facts. E.G. your helper says, "my father is sick." Tell her "I'm so sorry to hear this. What is his name? What hospital is he in?" Be compassionate, but keep your objectivity, and get the facts.
• Call Arrow: We can put a Tagalog speaker on the line with your helper and do our best to find out the situation. If she is upset, then it will be important for her to express herself in her own language. We'll ask questions and through our agency in the Philippines we'll try to verify her story and see what help we can give the family.
• Ask for Philippine phone #s and contact information so we can contact the family in case the helper is delayed coming back. 
• Have a back up plan. If your helper doesn't come back on time or doesn't come back at all, what will you do? Do you have relatives to fill in while you wait for a new helper? How will you handle this?

• Send your helper to Tagumpay: If the helper is dealing with homesickness, then the best solutions are Arrow's Tagumpay classes and a regular day off. It amazes me sometimes when an employer who denies their helper a day off - is then surprised that she disappears the first time she goes back to the Philippines. They deprive her of everything Filipino: (food, language and friends that she experiences on her day off) and then are surprised that she didn't finish the contract.  Really? If you helper is homesick, don't send her home, send her to Tagumpay and church on Saturday or Sunday.

Don'ts

• Don't believe everything you hear. We have heard stories of fathers and grandfathers passing away, so we call the family in the Philippines and the "deceased" family member answers the phone. We had one helper who told her employer that her grandmother passed away, but the employer remember that the helper had already used this excuse for an earlier trip home. 
• Don't pay for the air ticket. If an employee is taking vacation or personal time off then they should buy their own air ticket. 
• Don't pay salary in advance, but rather withhold some salary in case they don't return. If your helper has been with a long time and earned your trust, then giving advances and help in emergencies is a good thing to do, but when the helper has been here a short time only, we recommend against it. 
• Don't Panic. If the helper doesn't return on time, let us call her family to find out why? If there was a typhoon or just "bad planning"- it only takes a phone call to get the facts. Once you have the facts you can decide what to do. 

Always call Arrow. You've paid for our service. Use it. 2151-1125.

If you helper doesn't come back, we'll do our best to help you find a goo

Breakfast for helpers

Growing up in the US our breakfast consisted of cereal and milk, bacon and eggs and toast. The slogan on the Wheaties box said "breakfast of Champions". Last night some newly arrived helpers stayed at my house. This morning I found this on the table. They were planning on eating crackers for breakfast and I'm afraid that is what they ate last night for dinner.  We made scrambled eggs and toast.

Feed your helper well. Do you want a smart helper? Feed her well. Brain cells need protein and a good supply of calories to function properly. Housework is hard work. Take care of your helper and she will take good care of you and your family. 

It's time to say "Thank you!"

         "In everything give thanks" 
         

Recent research affirms what we all know to be true "grateful people are happier, less depressed, less stressed and more satisfied with their lives and social relationships." (Wikipedia)  We would all be more happy and healthy if we imitated Pollyanna.

Pollyanna is the young heroine of a famous children's book, Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter. When her mother dies Pollyanna is sent to live with her wealthy, but sour aunt. Pollyanna has developed a philosophy of life that focuses on gratitude and staying positive. She always plays what she calls "The Glad Game." The glad game is simple: find something to be glad about in whatever situation you face. One Christmas when her parents were still alive, the local church allowed the family to choose a present from the missionary barrel.  Pollyanna was hoping for a doll, but the barrel held only a pair of crutches. Her father made up the glad game and they decided they could be glad, because they didn't need the crutches. Pollyanna developed a habit of gratitude that not only helped her but changed those around her.

I am grateful to God for all the wonderful customers and friends he has given us over the years. I'm grateful for the helpers we have helped find work and for the positive changes we've seen in the lives of many of them. I'm grateful for our Arrow team, who everyday serve with heart and mind. Our office is a cross-cultural mix of Americans, Hong Kong Chinese and Filipinos. We have learned so much from each other. It is a privilege to go to work with this team. Sometimes it is so fun, it doesn't seem like work at all. I'm super grateful for my wife Ione, my daughters Jen and Colleen, and for my grandson, Ethan.  I could go on and on, but now it's your turn. Who and what are you grateful for?

Please come and join us in giving thanks to God this November 23rd. Please let your Arrow lady know the details and encourage her to attend. It is good to give thanks.

Allan is the CEO and founder of Arrow Employment Services

Allan Smith, Arrow

3 ways to help your helper stay happily married

Should you care about the state of your helper's marriage? If you are a decent person the answer is clearly "YES!"  And surprisingly, if you are a selfish Prig, the answer is still "YES!"

Almost all our customers tell us they want a helper who will stay for more than 1 contract. At the very least, they want their helper to finish her contract. They also prefer to hire happily marriaged women.  

Question 1: Would you still be happily married if your husband didn't see you for 2 years? Do you think your helper will still be happily married if her husband doesn't see her for 2 years?

Some of my family are in long distance relationships, with a spouse or boyfriend working in another country. It is really stressful. My wife and I pray for them every day.

Question 2: If your helpers marriage starts to break down, how do you think it will effect her job performance? Under those circumstances do you think she will complete her contract?

Here is the part where it doesn't matter if you are a decent person or are motivated purely by self interest (My wife says I shouldn't say "selfish prig"). Helpers resign from their jobs to go home and try and save their marriages, or to find caregivers for their children after their marriage has crumbled under the pressure of working overseas.

Question 3: Is there something you can do to help your helper stay happily married? 

Disclaimer: 50% of marriages fail according to statistics, so there is no ironclad guarantee that any relationship will last for a lifetime. Having said that, there are definitely some things you can do to improve your helper's chance of staying happily married.

1. Give her a set time everyday to chat with her family. Talk with her about the best 2-3 times of the day where she could talk to her husband and kids for 30 minutes. Choose a time that works for both you and her, then stick to it. 
2. Plan for her to go home to the Philippines 2 times a year. The Philippines is only 2 hours away. There is NO reason she shouldn't be able to go home 2 times a year. Even a long weekend will refresh her family relationships.
   • Go to cebupacificair.com and sign up for their "seat sale" emails. Share them with your helper and buy the tickets ahead of time.
   • Salary deduct in advance for the price of the ticket. It is the helper's responsibility to pay for her ticket.
   • Give her a few hours off to go to Philippines Consulate for her OEC so she won't have problems on the return leg.
   • Send some small presents home to her family to say "thank you for sharing your wife and mother with our family."
   • Ask your helper to agree to a birth control shot before she leaves to make sure she doesn't get pregnant on her trip.
3. Don't constantly remind your helper about "how good you treat her compared to other employers" or complain about the time she spends with her family.  Sometimes we think we deserve a halo for doing the right thing. Remember, even if you are a selfish prig, helping your helper stay happily married helps you keep a valuable employee. In the long run, you will reap many blessings.

A screenshot from Cebupacificair.com taken today. LOOK! They are having a sale!

Chart assist communication between employers and helpers

Some families really hope their helpers can learn to speak Cantonese quickly. However, it will not happen within one night. Nor will it come true within one week training in the Philippines.

But now,  Arrow created a chart to help the Filipino helpers to pick up Cantonese faster and easier. Together with the employer's patience and assistance, it is possible for your helper to pick up Cantonese faster!

All you need to do is to download the file, print and give it to your helper, let her study and practice it in daily life. Of course, Whenever you want to teach her new Cantonese, you speak slowly and let her write down the transliteration that she can understand.

https://docs.google.com/a/arrowes.hk/document/d/18Jtrk3lM-WRMRk2kuOq11hxh4oV4K4UfHgzr3F79UNo/edit

Window Safety Checklist -- National Safety Council

http://www.nsc.org/safety_home/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Falls/Documents/Window%20Safety%20Checklist_FINAL.pdf

Preventing window falls
Preventing falls out of windows is just as important as learning how to use one in an 
emergency. Unattended children run the greatest risk of falls and injuries, so the best first step 
is to carefully watch your children as they play. Nothing can substitute for careful supervision.

Do you keep windows shut when children are around?
 Keep your windows close and locked when children are around. When opening 
windows for ventilation, open windows that a child cannot reach.
 Do not rely on insect screens to prevent a fall. Insect screens are designed to provide 
ventilation while keeping insects out, not to prevent a child’s fall from a window.
 Set and enforce rules about keeping children’s play away from windows or patio doors. 
Falling through the glass can be fatal or cause serious injury.

Is there furniture placed under or near windows in your home?
 Keep furniture, or anything children can climb, away from windows. Children may use 
such objects as a climbing aid.
Do any windows in your home have guards, security bars, grilles or grates?
 If you have young children in your home and are considering installing window guards 
or window fall prevention devices, be aware that the windows guards you install must 
have a release mechanism so that they can be opened for escape in a fire emergency. 
Remember that time is critical when escaping a fire. 
 Consult your local fire department or building code official to determine proper window 
guard placement.
What kind of surface is outside windows in your home to potentially cushion a fall?
 The degree of injury sustained from a window fall can be affected by the surface on 
which the victim falls. Shrubs and soft edging like wood chips or grass beneath 
windows may less then impact if a fall does occur.

Emergency fire escape plans
While some falls occur from windows, it is important to realize that in the event of a fire, a 
window also can save a child's life. This is why windows play a critical role in home safety. 

Has your family developed an emergency fire escape plan?
 Windows provide a secondary means of escape from a burning home. Determine your 
family’s emergency escape plan and practice it regularly. In the plan, include two 
elements of escape from every room. 
 Remember that children may have to rely on a window to escape in a fire. Help them 
learn to safely use a window under these circumstances.

Inspect your home’s windows carefully. Is there anything preventing them from being 
opened in the case of an emergency?
 When performing spring repairs, make sure that your windows are not painted or 
nailed shut.
 Do not install window unit air conditioners in windows that may be needed for escape 
or rescue in an emergency. The air conditioning unit could block or impede escape 
through the window. Always be sure that you have at least one window in each 
sleeping and living area that meets escape and rescue requirements.

How to manage your child's homework AND keep your sanity

http://www.cmoney.tw/notes/note-detail.aspx?nid=15930

Toddler Safety at home

A toddler test the safety bars on a window.

Within the last week a 2.5 year old girl fell to her death from a 5th storey window. It's a tragedy beyond anything I can imagine. The pain for the family must be unbearable. 

It made me begin to think: how can we make our homes safer for small children.  Nurse Kathy of the Arrow team has written some articles in Chinese on child safety and we are going to also give you links to good articles and websites dedicated to keeping kids safe. Below is an excerpt from  a good article on safekids.org about preventing falls. It has some good advice I hadn't considered. Please mom and dad, read it carefully. Helpers read the article and ask your employers if you can do a safety audit of the home. (a walkthrough looking for things that might pose a danger to small children).   

"Falls
We work to prevent injuries from falls.From the moment your baby starts to crawl, the world is a magical place filled with new adventures and discoveries. From a child’s perspective, everything is a potential mountain to climb (that giant bookshelf), obstacle to overcome (those pesky stairs) or mysterious place to investigate (anywhere beyond the safety gate). Little bumps will happen but we’re here to help so these brave expeditions don’t result in something more serious.

The Hard Facts
Unintentional falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries for children in the United States. In 2012, unintentional falls resulted in nearly 3 million injuries requiring treatment in an emergency room. These injuries resulted from activities such as climbing on furniture, playing near an unsecured window, falling down stairs or playing on playgrounds."

- See more at: http://www.safekids.org/falls/

寶寶的防曬護理(Mustela)

引言

三歲前，嬰兒皮膚的防衛功能還未發育完全，皮膚在陽光的照射下非常脆弱，因此，醫生會極力勸告，千萬不要讓寶寶直接暴露在陽光下。如果有些活動必需要帶寶寶到充滿陽光的地方，那就一定要做足防曬措施，來保護他幼嫩脆弱的皮膚！您只要遵循幾條簡單的規則，就能保護寶寶的皮膚及它的防衛系統，避免日後受到嚴重的陽光傷害。而且童年時期是最好的學習時間，在耳濡目染的效應下，他會受您的影響，將來會繼續跟隨您做足防曬措施。

曬太陽的安全守則

• 不要讓寶寶暴露於太陽下，尤其是早上11時到下午4時的時段。

• 在陽光猛烈的時間躲在蔭處。

• 在猛烈的陽光下，切勿讓孩子赤裸或穿著泳衣。給他穿上寬鬆的和用粗棉製造（具過濾紫外線功能）的衣服，戴上闊邊的帽子及合適的闊邊太陽眼鏡（歐盟標準，紫外線3或4類） 。

• 在曬太陽之前20分鐘塗搽一層厚的和防曬指數達50+的防曬產品。要留意比較會多曬到的敏感部位（如額頭、雙頰、鼻子和嘴唇等）。

• 在蔭處或多雲的日子也要為孩子做好防曬措施，因為80%的紫外線能穿透雲層，而太陽傘並不能提供足夠的防曬保護。

• 避免使用容易引起敏感的防曬膏，最好選擇礦物或有機礦物的防曬膏。

• 每隔兩小時或當孩子每次游泳後都要重新塗上足夠的防曬膏。

• 即使寶寶沒有要求，也要經常給他喝水。

• 好好保管防曬產品，每次使用後要把瓶蓋緊緊關上，不要將產品放在猛烈陽光下，絕對不要再次使用已開瓶蓋超過一年的防曬產品。

Testimony: How Typhoon Pablo turned out to be a blessing for one family and town

I interviewed Arrow lady, Juliet Palmerola about her family's experience during and after Typhoon Bophal (Pablo) devastated their home area.

Personal Finance Seminar for Helpers

Sample collection notice of overdue loan

We sometimes receive calls from customers who received a notice or phone call telling them that their helper has overdue loans.  

Very few of us ever receive formal training on how to manage our personal finances.  As a result, it’s very easy to learn bad habits or to get into financial difficulties without understanding why. Improved money management awareness can help those who, whether due to lack of knowledge, self-discipline or other obstacles, don’t seem to be able to get a handle on their financial lives.

Send your helper to our Personal Finance Seminar for Helpers

The personal finance seminar is there to provide simple, jargon-free tips and budgeting strategies aimed at allowing helpers to better understand money. It is intended to empower them to take responsibility for their finances with more informed and educated decisions relevant to their lives.

TIME: August 17, 2014 2-4 p.m.

VENUE: Sunbeam Commercial Building, 20/F, 469-471 Nathan Road, Yaumatei MTR exit C

PRESENTER: Godfrey Oyeniran

COST: Free

Godfrey Oyeniran

With more than 15 years’ experience within private banking and stockbroking, Godfrey formed Spiritworth Consulting in Hong Kong to bridge interests in finance and personal development that were originally shaped growing up in the UK.

Financial coaching is not about providing financial advice. It’s about arming the individual with tools to shape their financial independence, confidence and accountability. Having grown up in a household where money was never spoken about, and where a lack of financial understanding had a significant impact on the quality of life, Godfrey appreciates the need for simplicity in explaining finance.

He has worked within the private wealth area as a stock advisor and investment analyst in the UK, the US and Asia. He has a Master of Finance (MFin) through Curtin University, Australia. Having previously attended personal development programmes by the likes of Anthony Robbins and Robert Kiyosaki, Godfrey was also inspired to earn an Executive Diploma in Corporate Coaching from the University of Hong Kong, which has led him to executive and life coach since 2009. He is a professional member of the Hong Kong International Coaching Community (HKICC).

Facebook or face to face

I saw a beautiful thing this week: a helper and a little girl were walking hand in hand, talking and laughing together. It was so wonderful I stopped for a minute and just watched. Then I asked myself, "why does this scene touch me so much?" and I realized that I hadn't seen it in a long time. Instead I see helpers holding their cell phones in one hand with a young child trailing from the others. The child often looks bored to death, while the helper has her face glued to her screen. 

I know parents behave the same way and I want to say "For God's sake, please stop!" The child next to you in created in the image of God and deserves your attention and time. You have the rare privilege of building something of worth into their lives. The child you care for has the potential to change the world for better or worse. The values and love you pour into their lives will shape who they become. 

If you are a mother - do you want those caring for your kids back in the Philippines to be glued to their phones, while ignoring your children? Then why would act that way? Please put away your phone and discover the sheer joy and imagination that is inside of that child next to you. For their sake, for your own sake, for the sake of the future - don't be a half-hearted helper. Serve with your whole heart, your whole attention.

How to prevent your helper from borrowing

Banner from a popular website offering loans to Filipinos, including OFWs

It is 10 p.m. and the phone rings.  A male voice tells you that your helper owes them money and you better make sure she pays them back.  You reason with him, explaining that you are not in charge of your helpers finances and tell him not to call again. The next night, the phone rings again. You plead and threaten to call the police but the phone calls don't stop.  Night and day the calls come. Finally you feel like you have no choice: you need to fire the helper who serves your family well. It is the only way to make the phone calls stop.  This is every HK employer's worst nightmare. Is there anything you can do to prevent it? 

Understanding Filipino attitudes toward money

Filipinos come from a background of poverty.  They are used to asking each other for money and help to make it through life. They often ask for and give financial aid to each other.  Finding enough money to pay their bills and feed their families is an ongoing struggle.  When we ask them "why do you want to come and work in HK" the most common answer is "to provide for my family" and "for the future of my kids", i.e.,  "I need money for school books, tuition, uniforms, and eventually university tuition." They have hopes of owning a home and/or a small business, but haven't carefully thought through how that might happen.

What can you do to prevent your helper from borrowing?

Many helpers start out in debt because they have to pay high agency fees in order to work in Hong Kong.

The short answer: NOTHING.  You can't control another person, so don't try. The long answer is: there is a lot you can do to try and help your helper learn to manage money well.  Here are a few suggestions:

1. Don't hire a helper from an agency that charges excessive fees to the helpers. When you hire helpers from agencies that charge excessive fees to helpers you are virtually guaranteeing that your helper not only starts out her job "in debt" but will also remain in debt for most of the time she works for you.  If your helper has a HK$10,000 debt when she begins her job, then she has no margin for error. Everything must go well if she is going to pay off this debt and then begin to save for her future. Her income is NOT big enough to handle any adversity + service her debt.  When a family member back home gets ill and needs to go to the doctor,  when the rain ruins their crops, when the typhoon blows the roof off of their house, she will stop servicing the debt and send all her money home to help her family. Her debt will spiral out of control very quickly.  When you go to a Hong Kong Employment agency ask them "Does the Filipino applicant need to pay money to come to HK?" "Does your partner in the Philippines charge her a "placement fee" for finding her a job here?" Most agencies in the Philippines charge the applicants large fees and share part of that fee with their HK partner.  If you hire from such agencies, you are helping create the very problem you want to avoid. 
2. Ask your helper if she has a written budget? If not, send her to Arrow's Tagumpay class. In lesson 4 of our Success class, we show helpers how and ask them to make a written 2 year budget. If she is willing to share it with you, go over her budget with her and praise her for doing this hard work.
3. Help your helper open a HK bank account. The Bank of China and HSBC make it easy for helpers to open savings accounts. If you deposit directly to her account, then she can withdraw only what she needs to remit & spend in HK. The rest can be automatically saved. 
4. Encourage her to have an emergency fund. We suggest that helpers save $1000/mo for 6 months as their "emergency fund". The should keep saving for other goals, but this $6000 is strictly for emergencies (Dr. visits, typhoon damage, etc). Every month when you pay her, tell her you hope she is saving money. 
5. Show her ways to economize. A group of helpers just arrived from Manila and pulled from their luggage sachets of shampoo.  These are very convenient and very expensive. Purchasing large bottles is much more economical, but helpers often can't afford to buy in bulk, so they buy only a few sachets. Helpers could save a lot of money if they learn to buy in bulk.  This goes for any sanitary item or toiletry they might need.

6. Ask her what her "NO" strategy is. We suggest that helpers have a "no" strategy. We teach them to make a promise to a loved one back home that they will never make an important financial decison without their consent and blessing. They will not co-sign, guarantee or borrow money without the consent of their significant other, parent, etc.  This helps them save face with their friend. "I'm sorry Ate, I promised my husband I would not make this kind of decision without his permission. I'll ask him tonight after work." Of course the husband needs to say "No!" enabling the helper to tell her friend "So sorry, but my marriage comes first." 

   7. Help her plan for and think through big financial goals like building a house. Some ladies will borrow money in HK because the interest and terms is much better than in the Philippines. The biggest purchase helpers consider is usually a house. They would normally not consider buying a house until their 2nd or 3rd contract. Is it okay for them to borrow money to buy or build a home?  If you own your home, did you borrow money to buy your house or did you pay cash? If you have a mortgage, why is it wrong for your helper to do so?  If she wants her own house, she will probably borrow money to do so. Rather than trying to forbid her to borrow, you might want to consider helping her borrow "smart": save a down payment, shop for terms, interest rates, sacrifice to pay it off quickly, etc. 

There is no sure fire way to ensure that your helper won't borrow money, but you can help gain financial wisdom and learn about money management. If she learns to be "money smart" then the likelihood of her borrowing money will lessen greatly.

3 steps to avoid miscommunication with your helper

Miscommunication between helpers and employers is a common occurence. Most Hong Kong residences and most Filipinos learned English as a 2nd language so it only natural that we are going to have miscommunication. Not only is English the 2nd language for both parties, but also Filipino English and HK English are quite different from each other. Do you know where the "comfort room" is? Ask your helper. Does your helper know what a "subway" is? When I first arrived in HK I was misled by signs that said "Subway". I was looking for metro (Subway in American English)  and the sign directed me to a tunnel walkway under a major road.  My (Allan) mother is British so I always put my clothes away in the "tall boy", but after I got married I discovered my wife didn't know what a "tall boy" was. Who doesn't know what a "tall boy" is? 

Here are 3 simple steps that will eliminate most miscommunications between helpers and employers:

Speak Slowly

Speak slowly and pause between your words. Ask your helper to do the same. Filipino tend to run their words together without any pauses "kamustaka?Ako?mabutinamanSalamatpo." Many people when they feel nervous talk too fast. Slow down and "bite off" your words.

 

Rephrase

Ask your helper to repeat back to you what she heard you say.  She may say, "Sorry Ma'am can you please repeat it?" Go ahead and repeat it, but then ask her to repeat it back to you. Stay patient and maintain a sense of humor. As I get older I find that my wife and I have more and more communications like the 3 old men who were taking a walk together. 

The first says, "It sure is windy."

The second responds, "No it isn't, it's Thursday."

The third says, "I am too. Let's get something to drink."

If you keep your sense of humor things will be okay. When your helper  tell you it's Wednesday, you can laugh, then correct her and make sure she understands that you said "Windy". 

Write it down 

My brain is not sticky. I can hear something and forget it a minute later. Unless I focus and make a mental picture of what I need to do, I WILL forget to do it. I keep a "to do" list on my phone to help me remember what I need to do. Help your helper by writing things down. Give her a clear grocery list, a schedule and a "to do" list. Set aside 5 minutes a day to write some things down for her and go over them with her at the start of the day.  If she is disorganized it might be because you (her manager) are not giving her clear guidance in writing. Give her her "marching orders" in writing at the start of the day and see how she does. 

Try these 3 suggestions and leave us a comment (below) and let us know what worked and what didn't work. 

Does financial debt make a helper more stable?

Are helpers who owe money less likely to quit than those with no financial burden?

Customers often tell us they want a helper who has a financial burden, because they believe that these helpers won't quit easily. Their reasoning is "She can't quit, because she owes too much money."  Oddly enough, the same customers, during the interview will tell the helper "If you borrow money in HK, then we will fire you." So debt and financial burden is okay, unless it is accumulated in Hong Kong.  Hmmm. 

Will a helper with a financial burden stay longer?  In our 8 years of experience I have seen NO correlation between debt load and longevity. Think about the following scenarios:

Scenario # 1: In order to pay her 60,000 peso placement fee (HK$ 10,650) Maria has to borrow money in the Philippines. Her brother, Jose uses his farm land as collateral, so Maria is given a loan with high interest. She will pay off the loan in 4 months with payments of $3000/month. Her other brother, Miguel promises to loan her 5000 pesos a month for 4 months to take care of her family while she is repaying the loan. After the loan is repaid Maria will start sending money to her family and will repay her brother 6000 pesos a month for 4 months. After 8 months she hopes she will be debt free. 

Scenario #2: Anna comes through Arrow Employment Services. Because they follow the Philippines Zero Placement Fees law, she doesn't need to borrow money to come to Hong Kong. After arrival in HK, she begins saving $1000/month as an emergency fund and does so for 6 months. She sends HK$2000 to her family every month for their needs, gives to her church and lives on the rest. After she has set aside her emergency fund, she begins saving to buy another piece of land for her husband to farm, or some piglets they can raise for income in the Philippines. 

Which woman will be the more stable helper? The one driven by debt or the one driven by goals who sees an immediate return from her labor?

Scenario #3: LIFE. Sooner or later, probably sooner - LIFE will happen. Maria or Anna's fathers or children will have an accident, a medical emergency, a typhoon will ruin crops or blow the roof off the house. When that occurs what will Maria do? What will Anna do?

Maria will stop paying her loans in the Philippines and use all her income to send for the emergency. If that is not enough she will go out and borrow in Hong Kong. She feels she has no choice. She is not going to let her family  suffer just because the employer said "Don't borrow!" Her debt load will grow exponentially and she'll begin to realize the sad fact "I'm never going to get out of debt. I'm suffering away from my family for what? for the finance company!  Might as well go back to the Philippines.

Anna will go to the bank and withdraw money from her emergency fund. She may ask for 1/2 day off so she can remit it to the Philippines right away. Those needing medical attention will receive it, or new need will be purchased to replant crops. Life will go on in the Philippines and Anna will continue working in HK. She will, of course, build her emergency savings fund back up, because sooner or later - LIFE will happen again.

Who do you want to hire? Maria or Anna? At Arrow we believe that Anna will be the more stable and fulfilled worker. Our strategy is to help workers develop good financial habits and attitudes toward money. Our workers arrive without a debt load. If you're shopping at another agency, why don't you ask them "How much do the helpers have to pay in the Philippines to come to HK?" Better yet, hire your helper through Arrow.

How to get baby to sleep

Wouldn't you like to have some quality couple time where you relax and have some adult conversation? Baby's bedtime can be a nightmare for a family, but it doesn't have to be. Below is a link to an article entitled "9 Ways To Teach Your Baby To Be A Great Sleeper". Read it, practice the suggestions, then go snuggle with your spouse.

http://news360.com/article/227966104

3 reasons why you should send your helper to Arrow for infant care training

by Kathy Lam

"I am worth it. Please train the person taking care of me."

One day, my boss chatted with a new employer (who was pregnant), asking her why she did not enroll her helper in Arrow’s infant Care Class for helpers. She replied, “My Husband said it’s too expensive. ”

After hearing that, I also asked myself, "Is it too expensive?"  Here are three good reasons to send your helper to Arrow's Infant Care Class.

Class Size: I used to teach infant care for another organisation, and discovered that some organisations, when they hold Infant care class for English speaking helpers from overseas, have a class size of at least 8-12 helpers. The trainer does not have enough time to check and coach every helper in the skills of infant care, affirming them for areas they are doing well and pointing out areas where they need to improve. The class size is too big so the trainer doesn't notice the problems they are having during the practice time. 

Arrow’s Infant Care Class for helpers intentionally will not exceed 5 students at one time. We explain the theory and then practice it. I coach the students one by one. Helpers also have enough time to ask all their question related to infant care  Some even bring a list of  questions written by their employers. I welcome and answer all of their questions.

Skills Testing: During the class I make every student demonstrate that they have correctly learned to carry out the skill. They are drilled until they can do it correctly, and only then, do they pass and receive a certificate. 

Employer Verification: In addition, Arrow put seven videos (arrow instructional videos for helpers)  on YouTube, showing how to bathe a baby, prepare formula milk, bottle feed  and burp a baby, change diaper, wash face, wash baby’s mouth  and do umbilical cord care. Through the video, employers will know what skills we are teaching and observe how I teach their helpers infant care. Employers can view the videos and know if their helper is doing what I teach them. In fact, it is good for both employer and helpers to learn from the same trainer, then the way they take care of the infant will be the same.  This will reduce conflicts due to different methods of infant care.

Some employers says, it’s no good to apply any classes for helpers. The more knowledge and skills they know, they easier it will be for them to apply to Canada. I do not agree, because ...

1. Not all helpers want to apply to Canada (many aren't even qualified to apply.)
2. Helpers are very thankful to the employers who are willing to enroll them to the infant care class. It increases the helper’s sense of belonging and attachment to the family she works for.
3. Helpers who attend the infant class feel more confident in caring for the infant. And employers feel more confident about entrusting their precious infant to a helper with knowledge and skill of infant care.
4. Even if the helper will apply to work in other country someday, at the time when the helper will leave, employer’s kid is no longer infants. The money the employer spends on the helper’s infant care class provides greater protection for their kid during the infant stage. In a sense, you aren't investing in your helper, but in your child. 

It’s never too expensive to invest in your helper or your child.

Chinese Cooking (Dina Wong)

 

My name is Grace, I am the employer of L*** – who came to your cooking class last Sunday.

Yesterday we tried the dish she learnt from you on Sunday, it was very good. I would like to know what will be the content and dates of the cooking classes coming up, and help her to register if they suit us.

Everyone loves good food, but not everyone cooks well. Arrow's Dina Wong will teach Chinese cooking on Sunday @ 2 p.m. at the Arrow Guest House.

*Each time Dina will teach 2-3 dishes.  Employers are welcome to writes in the registration form what kind of food you want your helper to learn, e.g. fry egg with tomato, steam squash with pork rib.

Date: November 30, 2014, or December 14, 2014 (Sunday)

Time: 2pm-4pm

Place: Boarding House, 1/F, 160 Temple street, Jordan. (Entrance is in Sai Kung Street)

Cost: $120 for 1 lessons (includes groceries and lunch. ).

Form of payment: Deposit or check

REGISTRATION  :

Please complete the form below & submit.

FORM OF PAYMENT:

1.  make checks payable to “TRUSTWORTHY PARTNERS LTD”, or
2.  Direct Deposit/ transfer to BEA account 213-68-00243-1/ 
3.  Direct Deposit/ transfer to HSBC account 098-355001-001

If you direct deposit/transfer, please send us a copy of the receipt with your name, the date and name of the class you applied be written on it through email (info@arrowes.hk) or fax (2332-6511).

• APPLICATION WILL BE CONFIRMED BY RECEIVING THE PAYMENT.

To register: call the office (2151-1125) or fill out our contact form  (be sure and mention which class you want your helper to attend)

 

Postnatal Support For Family

Postnatal Home Visit

Content : Coach breastfeed/infant care, e.g. baby bath, umbilical care.

Date, Time, Place : As agreed with parents

Fee : $800/1 hour(cash) 

Trainer : Kathy Lam (Registered Nurse, Infant Care Trainer, Baby Massage Instructor)

**Pls. call 2151 1125, 2151 1126 or email <info@arrowes.hk> to book appointment

產後家訪

內容：指導母乳餵哺 / 初生嬰兒護理，如：洗澡、臍帶護理

對象：初生嬰兒之父母

日期、時間、地點： 與父母協定

收費：$800/一小時(現金)

導師：林麗琼(註冊護士、初生嬰兒護理導師、嬰兒按摩師)

**請致電2151 1125, 2151 1126或電郵<info@arrowes.hk>預約。