Original Article
Empowering migrant domestic helpers through financial education
Huiquan Zhou,
Haijing Dai,
Nahri Jung,
Corresponding Author
Huiquan Zhou
School of Social Development, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
Huiquan Zhou, School of Social Development, Nanjing Normal University, 122 Ninghai Rd., Nanjing, Jiangsu 210097, China.
E-mail: maryhqzhou@njnu.edu.cn
Search for more papers by this authorHaijing Dai
Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, N. T., Hong Kong
Search for more papers by this authorNahri Jung
Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, N. T., Hong Kong
Search for more papers by this authorHuiquan Zhou,
Haijing Dai,
Nahri Jung,
Corresponding Author
Huiquan Zhou
School of Social Development, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
Huiquan Zhou, School of Social Development, Nanjing Normal University, 122 Ninghai Rd., Nanjing, Jiangsu 210097, China.
E-mail: maryhqzhou@njnu.edu.cn
Search for more papers by this authorHaijing Dai
Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, N. T., Hong Kong
Search for more papers by this authorNahri Jung
Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, N. T., Hong Kong
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
The provision of financial education for migrant domestic helpers is an important service that could enhance their financial well-being and the well-being of their families. However, in that migrant domestic helpers are often excluded from protection in the host country, such services are few and empirical research in this area is rare. In this article, we report the findings of an evaluation study on a financial literacy education programme provided by a Hong Kong organisation serving Filipina and Indonesian migrant domestic workers. Using a quasi-experimental design, we confirmed the effectiveness of the programme. Participants who attended the programme developed improved financial knowledge and behaviour. Their general self-efficacy and financial self-efficacy were also enhanced.
Key Practitioner Message: • Migrant domestic helpers’ financial well-being is enhanced through intensive financial education in financial knowledge and behaviour; • Migrant domestic helpers’ self-efficacy is strengthened through peer discussion of financial education; • Effective services for migrant workers in the host country need to be in the migrants’ native language and be culturally sensitive.
References
- Adams, R. H. J. & Page, J. (2003). International migration, remittances and poverty in developing countries. World Bank Research Working Paper, 3179.
- Adams, R. H. J. & Page, J. (2005). Do international migration and remittances reduce poverty in developing countries? World development, 33(10), 1645–1669.
- Anderson, B. (2000). Doing the dirty work? The global politics of domestic labour. London, UK: Zed Books.
- Anjara, S. G., Nellums, L. B., Bonetto, C., & Van Bortel, T. (2017). Stress, health and quality of life of female migrant domestic workers in Singapore: A cross-sectional study. BMC Women's Health, 17(1), 98–110.
- Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development. (2011). The new slave in the kitchen: Debt bondage and women migrant domestic workers in Asia. Chiang Mai, Thailand: Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD).
- Azerbaijan Micro-finance Association. (2009). Results of the financial literacy survey. Baku, Azerbaijan: Author.
- Bandura, A. & Cervone, D. (1986). Differential engagement of self-reactive influences in cognitive motivation. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 38(1), 92–113.
- Belser, P., de Cock, M., & Mehran, F. (2005). ILO minimum estimate of forced labour in the world. Nondiscrimination. Retrieved from http://ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/-ed-norm/-declaration/documents/publication/wcms-081913.pdf
- Bond, L. A. & Hauf, A. M. C. (2004). Taking stock and putting stock in primary prevention: Characteristics of effective programmes. Journal of Primary Prevention, 24(3), 199–221.
10.1023/B:JOPP.0000018051.90165.65 Google Scholar
- Borkowski, J., Akai, C., & Smith, E. (2006). The art and science of prevention research: Principles of effective programmes. In: J. Borkowski & C. Weaver (Eds.), Prevention: The science and art of promoting healthy child and adolescent development (pp. 1–16). Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
- Bronte-Tinkew, J., Carrano, J., Horowitz, A., & Kinukawa, A. (2008) Involvement among resident fathers and links to infant cognitive outcomes. Journal of Family Issues, 29(9), 1211–1244. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513x08318145
- Bryk, A. S. & Raudenbush, S. W. (1992). Hierarchical linear models: Applications and data analysis methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
- Clark, R., Lusardi, A., & Mitchell, O. S. (2017). Employee financial literacy and retirement plan behavior: A case study. Economic Inquiry, 55(1), 248–259. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecin.12389
- Cobb-Clark, D. A., Kassenboehmer, S. C., & Sinning, M. G. (2016). Locus of control and savings. Journal of Banking & Finance, 73, 113–130.
- Constantine, M. G., Okazaki, S., & Utsey, S. O. (2004). Self-concealment, social self-efficacy, acculturative stress, and depression in African, Asian, and Latin American international college students. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 74(3), 230–241.
- Delcourt, M. A. & Kinzie, M. B. (1993). Computer technologies in teacher education: The measurement of attitudes and self-efficacy. Journal of research and Development in Education, 27(1), 35–41.
- Dumont, J.-C., Martin, J. P., & Spielvogel, G. (2007). Women on the move: The neglected gender dimension of the brain drain. Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor.
- Farsight. (2016) Modern slavery in East Asia: Protecting the rights and promoting the autonomy of domestic migrants workers from Indonesia and the Phlippines. Hong Kong: Farsight. Retrieved from https://www.docdroid.net/3OifC9v/farsight-modern-slavery-in-east-asia.pdf
- Figueredo, A. J. & McCloskey, L. A. (1993). Sex, money, and paternity: The evolutionary psychology of domestic violence. Ethology and Sociobiology, 14(6), 353–379. https://doi.org/10.1016/0162-3095(93)90024-C
- Findley, A. M., Jones, H., & Davidson, G. M. (1998). Migration transition or migration transformation in the Asian dragon economics. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 22(4), 643–663.
- Fiske, S. T. & Taylor, E. S. (1991). Social cognition. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
- Fjeldsoe, B., Neuhaus, M., Winkler, E., & Eakin, E. (2011). Systematic review of maintenance of behavior change following physical activity and dietary interventions. Health Psychology, 30(1), 99–109.
- Gueorguieva, R. & Krystal, J. H. (2004). Move over anova: Progress in analyzing repeated-measures data andits reflection in papers published in the archives of general psychiatry. Archives of General Psychiatry, 61(3), 310–317.
- Gupta, S., Pattillo, C. A., & Wagh, S. (2007). Impact of remittances on poverty and financial development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Washington DC: International Monetary Fund.
- Hondagneu-Sotelo, P. & Avila, E. (1997). “I’m here, but I’m there:” The meanings of Latina transnational motherhood. Gender & Society, 11(5), 548–571.
- Hong Kong Economic Journal. (2017). Domestic helpers in Sheung Wan get highest pay in HK: Survey. Retrieved from http://www.ejinsight.com/20170920-domestic-helpers-in-sheung-wan-get-highest-pay-in-hk-survey/
- Howlett, E., Kees, J., & Kemp, E. (2008) The role of self-regulation, future orientation, and financial knowledge in long-term financial decisions. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 42(2), 223–242.
- Huston, S. J. (2012). Financial literacy and the cost of borrowing. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 36(5), 566–572. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2012.01122.x
- International Labour Office. (2015). Migrant domestic workers across the world: Global and regional estimates. Geneva, Switzerland: Labour Migration Branch, International Labour Office.
- Jerusalem, M. & Mittag, W. (1995). Self-efficacy in stressful life transitions. Self-Efficacy in Changing Societies (pp. 177–201). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
10.1017/CBO9780511527692.008 Google Scholar
- Kawar, M. (2004). Gender and migration: Why are women more vulnerable. Femmes et mouvement: Genre, migrations et nouvelle division international du travail, 71–87. Retrieved from http://www.antigone.gr/files/en/library/selected-publications-on-migration-and-asylum/international/070603.pdf
10.4000/books.iheid.6256 Google Scholar
- Lan, P.-C. (2008). Global Cinderellas: Migrant domestics and newly rich employers in Taiwan. Taiei, Taiwan: Flâneur Culture Lab.
- Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Coping and adaptation. In W. D. Gentry (Ed.), The handbook of behavioral medicine (pp. 282–325). New York: Guilford.
- Leahy-Warren, P., McCarthy, G., & Corcoran, P. (2012). First-time mothers: Social support, maternal parental self-efficacy and postnatal depression. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21(3–4), 388–397. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03701.x
- Lee, P. W. & Petersen, C. J. (2006). Forced labour and debt bondage in Hong Kong: A study of Indonesian and Filipina migrant domestic workers. Hong Kong: Centre for Comparative and Public Law, The University of Hong Kong.
- Lown, J. M. (2011). Development and validation of a financial self-efficacy scale. Journal of Financial Counseling & Planning, 22(2), 54–63.
- Luke, D. A. (2004). Multilevel modeling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
10.4135/9781412985147 Google Scholar
- Lusardi, A. & Mitchell, O. S. (2014). The economic importance of financial literacy: Theory and evidence. Journal of Economic Literature, 52(1), 5–44.
- Lusardi, A. & Tufano, P. (2015). Debt literacy, financial experiences, and overindebtedness. Journal of Pension Economics & Finance, 14(4), 332–368.
- Lutz, H. (2002) At your service madam! the globalization of domestic service. Feminist Review, 70(1), 89–104. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.fr.9400004
10.1057/palgrave/fr/9400004 Google Scholar
- Margolis, H. & McCabe, P. P. (2006). Improving self-efficacy and motivation: What to do, what to say. Intervention in school and clinic, 41(4), 218–227.
- Monjur, E., Nguyen, H. M., & Nielsen Malaysia. (2016). Migrant workers: The invisible consumers. Retrieved from http://www.nielsen.com/my/en/insights/news/2016/migrant-workers-the-invisible-consumers.html
- Ney, P. G., Fung, T., & Wickett, A. R. (1992). Causes of child abuse and neglect. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 37(6), 401–405. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674379203700609
- OECD. (2018). Net ODA (indicator). Retrieved from https://data.oecd.org/oda/net-oda.htm
- Oso Casas, L. & Garson, J. (2005). Migrant women and the labour market: Diversity and challenges. Paris, France: OECD, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs.
- Oso, L. & Catarino, C. (2013). From sex to gender: The feminisation of migration and labour-market insertion in Spain and Portugal. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 39(4), 625–647.
- Parreñas, R. S. (2001). Servants of globalization: Women, migration, and domestic work. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
- Perry, V. G. & Morris, M. D. (2005). Who is in control? The role of self-perception, knowledge, and income in explaining consumer financial behavior. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 39(2), 299–313.
- Phuong, N. Q. & Venkatesh, S. (2015). Does migration make financial sense? The case of domestic workers from Vietnam to Taiwan. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 35(11/12), 722–737. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-10-2014-0080
- Pike, L. (2017). Train Hong Kong’s foreign domestic workers to be financially savvy, for the benefit of all. Retrieved March 30, 2018, from http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2113383/train-hong-kongs-foreign-domestic-workers-be-financially
- Ratha, D. (2012). Remittances: Funds for the folks back home. Finance & Development. Retrieved from http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/basics/remitt.htm
- Riniolo, T. C. (1999). Using a large control group for statistical comparison: Evaluation of a between-groups median test. The Journal of Experimental Education, 68(1), 75–88.
- Sassen, S. (2013). The global city: New york, London, Tokyo. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
10.2307/j.ctt2jc93q Google Scholar
- Schunk, D. H. (1995). Self-efficacy and education and instruction. In: J. E. Maddux (Ed.), Self-efficacy, adaptation, and adjustment (pp. 281–303). Boston, MA: Springer.
10.1007/978-1-4419-6868-5_10 Google Scholar
- Schunk, D. H. & Hanson, A. R. (1985). Peer models: Influence on children’s self-efficacy and achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 77(3), 313–322.
- Schunk, D. H. & Pajares, F. (2002). The development of academic self-efficacy. In: A. Wigfield & J. Eccles (Eds.), Development of achievement motivation (pp. 15–31). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
10.1016/B978-012750053-9/50003-6 Google Scholar
- Schwarzer, R. & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized self-efficacy scale. In: J. Weinman, S. Wright, & M. Johnston (Eds.), Measures in health psychology: A user’s portfolio. Causal and control beliefs (pp. 35–37). Windsor, UK: NFER-NELSON.
- Singer, J. D. & Willet, J. B. (2003). Applied longitudinal data analysis: Modeling change and event occurrence. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
- Small, S. A., Cooney, S. M., & O’connor, C. (2009). Evidence-informed programme improvement: Using principles of effectiveness to enhance the quality and impact of family-based prevention programmes. Family Relations, 58(1), 1–13.
- Wang, C.-M., Qu, H. Y., & Xu, H. M. (2015). Relationship between social support and self-efficacy in women psychiatrists. Chinese Nursing Research, 2(4), 103–106.
10.1016/j.cnre.2015.10.002 Google Scholar
- Williams, K. E. & Bond, M. J. (2002). The roles of self-efficacy, outcome expectancies and social support in the self-care behaviours of diabetics. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 7(2), 127–141. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548500120116076
10.1080/13548500120116076 Google Scholar
- UN Women. (2013). Contributions of migrant domestic workers to sustainable development. Bangkok, Thailand: United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
- Yeoh, B. S. A. & Soco, M. A. (2014). The cosmopolis and the migrant domestic worker. Cultural Geographies, 21(2), 171–187. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474474014520899
