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El Semillón Fundraising Campaign

House Workers & Marcelina

By Patricia Wolska

An unpretentious small office with posters on the walls in a run-down building, and a smiling petite woman named Marcelina Bautista describe my first impression of CACEH (Support & Training Center for House Workers for its acronym in Spanish). Then I learned from the President, Marcelina, about the goals, achievements, and projects of the organization. The modest office layout understates the extensive work of CACEH.

Since the moment Marcelina migrated to the city, she has been involved in the world of domestic work. She was a domestic worker herself for many years and got to know thoroughly all of the pros and cons of the profession. Her questions, concerns, and personal search all led her to create an organization which would form a support system to help female domestic workers. Marcelina has led the organization since 2000. CACEH is engaged in informing female domestic workers of their human and labor rights, human development and professional skills, and the condition of women as laborors and in a social context. The organization addresses discrimination, violence, feminine identity and racism in the shape of workshops and seminars (the meetings are held every 15 days) that teach women how to professionalize their work, bargain with theirs employers, and to value the work they do.

CACEH is a MacArthur and Ashoka foundation grantee. Thanks to a Semillas grant they were able to implement their project: sexual and reproductive rights of domestic workers. “Women come from many cultural contexts and in most cases sex is a taboo area,” says Marcelina, “They get to the city with no knowledge of sexuality so we have to train them.” A manual compiles all the information regarding femininity, masculinity, and contraceptives, among others.

CACEH has plenty of plans and much more work to do. They are advocating for the amendment of Chapter 13 to the Federal Labor Law regarding trafficking in female domestic workers. March 30th celebrates the International Day of Domestic Workers and coincides with the 20th Anniversary celebration of the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Domestic Workers. Marcelina is the Secretary General of this confederation, a collaboration between 11 countries. Thanks to Semillas support, CACEH is planning to continue with training seminars and workshops, as well as disseminating leaflets and manuals. Semillas provides CACEH with a wide network of contacts in order to publicize the work among other organizations.

As an innovative organization, CACEH, gives voice to domestic workers, not only to defend their rights but also to train them in various professional fields. Certainly, it is all bout learning and positive change among women, in this case within the sphere of households.