I provide care for your family members, including your parents and grandparents, whom you cherish deeply. I offer support during their moments of fear, hold their hands through trembling times, and offer comforting words in the quiet of night. Helping them regain their strength, appetite, and sense of humanity is my daily commitment.
Often, I am the source of their first smiles in weeks. Every day, I dedicate myself to those under my care because I believe they deserve dignity, compassion, and affection. As a migrant care worker, I take pride in my work, driven by a sense of identity rather than just fulfilling a job description.
Arriving in the UK as an asylum seeker seeking safety and a fresh start, I found my calling as a carer. The respect, gratitude, and genuine recognition I receive from the individuals and families I assist give me purpose and motivation. However, I sense a lack of acknowledgment from the country I serve, failing to see the person beyond the caregiver uniform, the one who gives tirelessly each day.
My work involves demanding shifts that drain me physically and mentally. Despite paying taxes like everyone else, I earn everything through sheer hard work, patience, and compassion. It pains me to hear some refer to workers like me as a “burden” or even a “stranger.” I start my day before dawn to ensure someone’s mother is cared for and extend my hours to guarantee a family’s peace of mind about their father’s safety.
I fill crucial roles that others shy away from. The operation of care facilities and hospitals depends on our dedication. Families stay intact because of our presence. The potential requirement for migrant carers to wait 15 years before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain brings a deep sense of sorrow and frustration.
Fifteen years of selfless service, sacrifice, and loyalty, yet being told that I do not belong here yet is disheartening. We are not seeking preferential treatment or accolades; all we ask for is fairness and basic humanity. How can we be labeled a burden when we carry so much weight and provide essential support to countless individuals?
I yearn for stability, respect, and the opportunity to build a secure future without enduring decades of uncertainty. We, as migrant carers, are not here to take; we are here to give, a commitment we have upheld since our arrival. My deepest desire is for the country I serve to recognize our contributions and care for us in return.