Ma Khin Nwe Makhin (or MKN henceforth) is from Myanmar. With over 10 years
experience in Singapore, she is now available for immediate hire.
Background
She is 52 years old, single and the eldest of six children. The first-born
usually has more initiative, having often to stand in for the mother. Her
father, when alive, was a hospital employee. MKN has 9 years of education,
equivalent to our Secondary 3. She can speak and understand English with
some effort, but has improved since we first placed her in 2001.
Employment History
At that time she had just worked for a Singaporean Chinese family for six
years. Bernard and family (4 adults) lived in a two-storey bungalow. There
were no young children in the family and her duties were cooking, cleaning,
laundry and ironing and occasionally marketing. They had a part-time
gardener, but MKN helped out between the gardener's weekly visits, watering
the plants and sweeping.
At the end of six years, her employer offered her a 4th contract for two
more years.
But the grass looked greener elsewhere. Click
here to read what Bernard writes about MKN.
So she went to work for an Venezuelan American-Japanese couple with 3
children. They had been in Singapore one year and expected to stay quite a
bit longer. However, the company employing Mr Nava the American half of the
couple had other ideas and transferred him (and with him his family) to
Tokyo.
Their children were 10, 6 and 4 when they left for Japan. The lady was a
housewife and shared in the housework. However, there were times when she
had to go out - shopping, marketing and attending English classes. When she
was out, MKN took care of the children. Although MKN worked for them for
only 4 months, they hit it off very well. Madam's farewell note to MKN.
In Myanmar, from Jan 84 until Jun 88, she worked for Wolfgang M, a German
Technical Expert at an Industrial Training Center in Myanmar, who describes
her as hardworking, active and
intelligent
She has also worked a live-in maid in Myanmar, working for one Mr Guy
Lubeight, an official of the French Embassy in Yangon.
She worked for him for about 7 years (88 - 95, just before coming to
Singapore).
Mr Lubeight lived with only his wife in Myanmar as his children were already
grown up and lived in France. Her duties then were cooking, laundry,
cleaning and marketing.
While working for the French couple she learnt to prepare French cuisine.
She does not know the names. Occasionally they would invite friends home and
then Ma Khin Nwe would do most of the cooking. Her cooking was not
thoroughly (and probably not even authentically) French for she says her
employers and their guest also enjoyed the Burmese dishes she served up.
Some of the western dishes she knows are: steak, pork chop, mashed potato,
french fries, grills, salad and sandwiches.
Mr Lubeight (who employerd her in Myanmar) came to Singapore in 1996 en
route to Bangkok, a year after she began working in Singapore and tried
unsuccessfully to persuade her to return with him.
She can also cook Chinese food and does the cooking for her current
employer. She can cook quite a variety of local dishes such as poh piah,
vegetables in oyster sauce, steamed or barbecued fish, chicken curry,
chicken rice, fried rice. She can also prepare assam fish and Tomyam soup.
She is suitable for the employer without young children, an employer who
places more emphasis on housekeeping and cooking.
Since MKN first registered with us in April 2001, Ma Khin Nwe has worked for
-
Mrs Lim, a Singaporean Chinese who writes She
is extremely capable and efficient in the kitchen.
- an American-Japanese couple with two children - one 5 years old, the
other two months old when the family left for Japan after two years.
- Amanda, an English lady with 3 children, aged 9, 11 and 13
from November 2003 until June 2004.
- Singaporean who employed MKN for two months when he had to leave for
Switzerland. He asked her to continue working for her there, but all this
talk of the freezing cold in Europe in winter finally unnerved her and she
decided to stay in Singapore.
Another family she worked was Australian with 4 children (aged 18, 14, 10
and 7). Madam was a homemaker. When Madam was busy such as when she had to
go ou MKN keeps an eye on the children, particularly the two younger ones.
The were 8 and 5 when MKN went to work for the family. MKN was one of 2
domestic helpers. The family moved into a smaller house and MKN who went in
later was thus the first to go out.
Ma Khin Nwe's English is basic but she makes up for her lack of proficiency
with her enthusiasm. That is how she can can have such a good rapport with
expatriates from Japan, the States, Australia.
Character and Personality
MKN is an animal lover. See picture of MKN with 2 dogs she used to take care
of.
MKN is tactful and serious about her work. With some encouragement, she
spent her free time learning more e.g.
In May 2010 MKN went to work for a family of 6 from the U.S. The 4 children
in the family are 12, 10, 8 and 6. Madam stays at home and attends to the
children herself most of the time while MKN attends to the household chores.
The family live in a 4-storey terrace house. Climbing up and down the 4
floors is taking a toll on MKN's knees and she is looking for a new
situation not so demanding on her knees.
