According to the International Labor Organisation, there are 11.5 million migrant domestic workers worldwide. By the Philippine government’s own estimate, about one in four is a Filipina woman. International advocacy organisations believe the number would likely be higher if those who are undocumented were taken into account.
Together, the women form a scattered community, the majority spread across the Middle East and East Asia, followed by Europe and the United States. Recruited by international agencies who favour English-speaking nannies and cleaners, the women are charged exorbitant fees to find work overseas. For the 60% of Filipina women who work in the Middle East, they’re also subject to the “kafala” system, which generally binds a migrant worker to their employer, resulting in the confiscation of their passports until their contracts come to an end.
Ruby Kathleen West, known as “Katy” by everybody that knew her, went home to be with the Lord the morning of Tuesday, December 15, 2020 as the result of a heart attack. She was born December 29, 1940 and would have turned 80 on December 29 of this year. She was preceded in death by her parents, Roggie West and Maude (Richardson) West; her husband, Charles Lee West, Jr.; her son, Jeffrey West; and twin sons, Larry and Gary West.
Katy was a life-long resident of Williamsburg, KY. She retired from the United States Post Office in 2002 where she worked for over 28 years. She later went back to work for Maiden Drug Store in June of 2005 and retired for a second time in March 2019. She was a member of Highland Park Baptist Church in her younger years and later was a member of Main Street Baptist Church for over 50 years. She dearly loved her Sunday School Class and had a friendship and bond with all the ladies in there.