Domestic Work: A Destination or a Journey? Understanding the life stories of domestic workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

This research aims to understand the life stories of domestic workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The key concepts used in this research are capitals, empowerment and the capability approach. Using expert interviews, life story interviews and graphic elicitation, this research investigates how domestic work can be empowering, what factors contribute to the empowerment of domestic workers and what their aspirations say about their capabilities. The research finds that domestic work has empowering properties, however overall it is a disempowering occupation. Furthermore, there are many factors that both positively and negatively impact a domestic workers empowerment. Finally, the wide range of aspirations that the domestic workers interviewed had, shows that their capability is equally wide ranged and not limited to the field of domestic work. Overall, the research argues that the capitals and empowerment play a major role in the life stories of domestic workers in Addis Ababa. The research suggests that more attention is needed to the individual in domestic work and the situations of these individuals will only improve if this is done.