Idah Njarava (right) and her employer Elizabeth Schlechter.
Idah’s employer, Elizabeth Schlechter, earned the prize for her with the motivation she wrote.
There is one more round left, after which the grand finale will follow.
Employers can enter their domestic workers for January’s competition by sending a 100-word motivation on why they deserve to win to Brigitte Thysse, via email at brigitte@hirschs.co.za.
Entries close on January 12.
The monthly winners each receive a R500 Hirsch’s voucher, a hamper from Unilever and a Hirsch’s certificate.
A grand finale round will be held on Saturday, February 7 at 10 am at the Hirsch’s Boksburg Branch, where each month’s winner will participate in a final challenge.
Each employer will need to present five household tips given to them by their domestic worker to a panel of judges.
The winner of this round will win a prize worth R5 000 and a bed and base set.
Elizabeth’s full motivation for Idah to win:
Idah Njarava started working for me in January 2013 and has been a Godsend to me and my family. I was early pregnant when she started and my eldest son was 2 at the time, she started off cleaning, washing and ironing as I found it very difficult to let go with my son. I was a highly paranoid mommy.
Christian was born July 2013 and the day I brought him home from the hospital Idah was so supportive. Helped me so much with my eldest Cameron, let me sleep when I needed to, sterilised bottles etc. Unfortunately in October that year I ended up in hospital with severe postnatal anxiety. I just couldn’t cope, a mom who had never let anyone else take care of her kids. I had no choice. My husband was in the middle of a IT change over at his company and couldn’t take time off to stay home with our then 3 month old baby and 3 year old son. I had no choice but to ask Idah. She assured me that my babies would be fine and I was booked in immediately. I had to be there for 2 weeks, heartbroken that this was happening to me. Every day Idah would send me pictures of my boys, and updates. She would let my eldest call me from her phone. This woman who I had only known less than a year, was running my entire household. We had a postal company too and in between watching 2 kids, cleaning, cooking, ironing, taking care of our pets, she was helping my husband with the business too. Receiving packages etc.
When I got home I was still not a hundred percent. Idah would leave her home in Germiston at 4 am and get to our home by 7am to make sure she was there before my husband left. She did everything for me. My boys loved her madly. And I trusted her with my life
Since then we have moved to Morehill and Idah now stays on the property with us to save her from early mornings and loads of bus fair. I am back to my normal, happy self. And it’s all thanks to her. She was my biggest support system through the hardest time of my life. She is currently on leave for 3 weeks. A very well deserved break.
I can’t believe this lady does so much. With her being gone, I finally get to see.
She does everything for us. From looking after our kids, to cleaning our house, taking care of animals, showing our gardener what’s what without us even asking, helping with the business, and still finding time to sit down with our kids and read books or play “teacher”.
This lady is an angel. Always has a smile on her face no matter what. Never seen her unhappy.
I am honestly blessed with her and feel she is the domestic worker of the century.
Thanks for reading.
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