Future Voices is unique leadership programme which works with migrant domestic workers to become spokespeople and speak out against the issues that their community face. This is a partnership between Sounddelivery Media and The Voice of Domestic Workers. In our first workshop Becoming a Visible Leader the group heard from Lady Unchained, a poet, award-winning broadcaster, author who shared her experiences of the criminal justice system and shared about her life after prison. At the end she asked the group in pairs to create a poem where each sentence started with the words I Come From , after each sentence the paper was folded so neither person could see what was written. Then at the end each poem was read out. Here is what they have written.
Poems from the Future Voices workshop
By Danalyn and Mary Queen
I come from a distant land where dreams unfold.
I come from migrant’s tales in love is told.
I come through the struggles deep and paths unknown.
I come from a mothers’ heart forever grown.
I come from the Philippines embraced and soured.
I come from the foreign shores my journey stored.
I come from job varied, to sales, to maid.
I come from a migrant enduring guest.
I come from sacrifices, love, lead, loneliness and resilient.
I come from empathy and deep hope, and now I deserve to be part of Future Voices.
By Jeanly and Mercy
I come from an island with a unique upbringing.
I come from a good family.
I come from a family where my father is the only man in the house.
I come from poverty when I needed to beg for money.
I come from a remote island where at such a young age, I learned hardship and perseverance in order to survive.
I come from where I became a scavenger, selling plastic bottles, etc.
I come from an island that was two hours away from the mainland where modernisation is different from the world that later on I come to know.
I come from Philippines where I was born and now in London where I had been abused by so many employers and now I’m still standing and fight for my rights as a domestic worker.
I come from the city of love, where my heart beats called “Koko City”.
I come from weak and became a stronger and fighting worker.
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By Rose Ann and Fahima
I come from Negros Occidental, Philippines.
I come from a wonderful family to a sacrifices.
I come from the city of smiles.
I come from being a child to become a parent.
I come from lovely and hard-working parents.
I come from the body of my mother.
I come from trauma because of my unfair journey but this trauma has made me a stronger human.
I come from being a simple dreamer to struggle of life journey.
I come from Saudi Arabia where I start my journey as domestic worker.
I came from voiceless to fight my rights.
I come from my Journey that I’ll never forget and now I’m in London and part of Future Voices 3.
By Alice and Ritchel
I come from a humble family.
I come from being weak to become brave.
I come from Philippines to work in London.
I come from an exhausting environment.
I come from an exhausted pressured place.
I come from lazy morning to productive day.
I come from a tiny place
I come from angry to happy.
I come from a naïve girl to confident one.
I come from beautiful family.
I come from being poor to rich.
I come from an exhausting environment.
By Ma Cristina and Christine
I come from the country where is the sea of pearls.
I come from my dream country but it wasn’t as good as I imagined.
I come from the land where my Dream started to bloom.
I come from the house where there is joy and life.
I come from the continent of Asia.
I come from the life not everyone would like.
I come from struggle life but now I’m on a right path.
I come from the scrap and now slowly getting better.
I come from loving parents.
I come from the land where lack of education is not a hindrance to reach your dreams.
By RoseMarie and Alzua
I come from a simple family.
I come from my mom’s tummy to see the world, how beautiful it is.
I come from a place that full of love and good memories.
I come from puberty and decided to set my goal to lift my life to success.
I come from a faraway place that there is no electricity and we only use lamp but it’s not a hindrance to reach my dreams in life.
I come from small town Cavite and now I live in London.
I came from the Land of Bukidnon with 7 tribes.
I came from shy person to be spokesperson. Soon.
Unnamed authors
I come from struggling life.
I come from the outrage, deep and fierce
I come from the strength to rise and stand again and now I learnt to fight my fears
and continuing to gain my self-confidence.
I come from the scars of yesterday
I come from the sun that never sets.
I come from every opportunity going my way for improvement.
I come from the hope that never dies.