Rachel was just 14 when she left her rural home in Kondoa, Dodoma, to work in Arusha, a bustling city in northern Tanzania. It was 2015, and Rachel had just completed primary school. Her dreams were simple – she wanted to help her family. With no money for a private secondary school and having failed her final exams, her future felt uncertain.
“My parents encouraged me to find work and build my own life,” Rachel says. “They thought it was better than staying at home with nothing to do.”
Rachel’s story mirrors that of countless young girls from poor farming families across Tanzania. Driven by necessity, they turn to domestic work in hopes of supporting their families and building a better life.
Although Tanzanian law sets the minimum employment age at 14 and offers protections for workers aged 14 to 17, many young domestic workers like Rachel find themselves in informal jobs where these safeguards are rarely enforced.
Rachel found an agent who connected her to a family in Arusha offering Sh30,000 (approximately US$12) per month. She dreamed of saving enough to become a tailor. But the reality was far more difficult.
The household had two children – an eight-month-old baby and a seven-year-old boy. Her daily routine involved waking the boy at 6 a.m., preparing him for school, caring for the baby, cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry.
“It was a beautiful house with plenty of food, and I had my own room,” she recalls. “But the work was exhausting. I had to do everything alone, with no rest.”
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Her salary remained low and inconsistent. After nearly six years of long hours and broken promises, Rachel left the job in 2021. A friend helped her find a less demanding job in Kilimanjaro.
“I was glad to get the new job,” she says. “It was much less demanding, and the pay wasn’t too bad either.”
A common story
Across Tanzania, many young girls leave rural homes for cities like Arusha or Dar es Salaam to escape poverty. Domestic work becomes their lifeline – but the hours are long, the pay is low, and the conditions are often harsh.
According to Anti-Slavery International, around one million children in Tanzania work as domestic workers – most of them girls, some as young as ten. Despite their numbers, these workers often operate without contracts, protections, or legal recognition.
“It’s a difficult life for these girls,” says Debora Mwageni, the executive director of Initiative for Domestic Workers. “They’re often treated like family, but without the respect or rights that come with being a worker.”
Domestic workers enable many Tanzanian households to function, yet their labour remains undervalued and unprotected.
Little protection
While Tanzania’s general labour laws technically apply to domestic workers, there are no specific regulations tailored to their needs. Employers are not required to provide written contracts, paid leave, or social security.
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“Domestic workers are left out of many legal protections,” Mwageni explains. “Neither employers nor workers fully understand their rights and obligations, which opens the door to exploitation.”
Informal brokers or agents frequently recruit girls from rural areas, promising decent pay and safe homes. In reality, many girls discover wages far lower than promised, with agents sometimes taking part of their salary as an unofficial fee.
“There’s a whole shadow market of recruitment,” says Mwageni. “Some agents are trusted relatives; others are strangers. Either way, they operate without oversight.”
Some employers acknowledge that the informality contributes to exploitation.
“I used to think giving food, clothes, and a place to sleep was enough,” says one employer in Dar es Salaam. “I didn’t see it as a real job with rules.”
This mindset of seeing domestic workers as helpers rather than employees enables unintentional mistreatment. Domestic work happens behind closed doors, making monitoring or enforcement difficult.
Signs of change
Advocacy groups, including the Domestic Workers Union of Tanzania, have been pushing for reform. One major demand is government ratification of the International Labour Organisation’s Convention No. 189, which sets global standards for domestic workers.
“We urge the government to ratify this convention and ensure fair pay, job security, and proper working conditions,” said chairperson Zanini Athumani on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2025.
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A key concern is the dismissal of pregnant workers without notice or compensation.
In September 2025, the Tanzanian government confirmed it had completed preparations to ratify the Convention, with Parliament expected to review it in April 2026. The push for ratification dates back more than a decade, since shortly after the Convention’s adoption in 2011.
Minister Ridhiwani Kikwete announced, “This marks the beginning of a new journey to legally recognise domestic workers and ensure they receive the same entitlements as other workers.” He stated the Convention had passed Cabinet review, with adjustments for Tanzania’s social and economic context.
If passed, it would guarantee formal contracts, regulated hours, paid leave, and access to social security.
But legal experts caution that legislation alone is not enough.
“There must be strong enforcement and public education,” says labour rights advocate Joseph Salira. “Employers and workers need to understand their rights, and authorities must hold abusers accountable.”
Challenges
For many domestic workers, daily life remains unchanged – especially those who endured abuse with no one to turn to.
Mwanaidi (who prefers to use only her first name), now 24, began working in Dar es Salaam in 2018. She faced long hours, constant surveillance, and emotional abuse. Her work intensified on weekends when the family had guests. She rarely had a break and earned just Sh30,000 a month, sometimes late.
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Neema (not her real name), now 22, still carries trauma from her experience. At 16, she was hired to care for two children in Dar es Salaam. When her employer left town, an adult male relative stayed over. On the second night, he entered her room and forced himself on her.
“I froze,” she says. “I had nowhere to go. I cried the whole night.”
She never reported the assault, fearing blame or dismissal. Weeks later, she quietly returned home.
Sexual violence remains deeply stigmatised and underreported. A 2021 UN Women report called it “one of the most taboo and stigmatising forms” of violence. UNICEF estimates that over 79 million girls and women in sub-Saharan Africa – more than 1 in 5 – experience sexual violence before age 18.
Tanzania has seen numerous such cases in recent years. In 2023, for example, Jamhuri newspaper covered the story of Anna, a 28-year-old domestic worker who was raped and murdered, allegedly by her employer’s son.
“The power imbalance is extreme,” says social worker Noreen Komba. “These girls are poor, young, uneducated, and far from home. They have no leverage.”
Isolation worsens the emotional toll. Many domestic workers are forbidden from leaving the house or using a phone.
“I used to get so lonely,” says Mwanaidi. “The only people I could talk to were my parents and friends on the phone.”
Child psychologist Moses Mmuya explains, “It can cause anxiety, depression, and other serious mental health issues. Without support, these emotional wounds can last a lifetime.”
Some cases end in tragedy. In 2020, a man in Tabora was arrested for allegedly killing a 16-year-old domestic worker during a family dispute. In 2023, 14-year-old Zuwena Bihumo died after being beaten by her employers in Kilimanjaro.
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That same year in Dar es Salaam, a woman was arrested after allegedly causing the death of her domestic worker, 20-year-old Anne Kassim, claiming it was suicide.
“In many communities, these cases are handled quietly,” says Komba. “The girl might be sent home, while the abuser faces no consequences.”
Global issue, local faces
Globally, the ILO estimates tens of millions of domestic workers – mostly women – work in informal, often exploitative conditions, many without contracts or protections. Despite their essential contributions, domestic workers are frequently excluded from national labour protections, trapping many in cycles of poverty and abuse.
Domestic work helps support their families, but often costs them their childhood, education, and dignity.
Advocates say raising awareness, empowering domestic workers to know their rights, and supporting grassroots organisations are crucial first steps.
“Everyone has a role to play,” says Mwageni. “From government to employers, to communities – respecting domestic workers is respecting our society.”
Rachel never became a tailor, but she hasn’t given up. Now 24 and working with more predictable hours and slightly better pay outside of domestic work, she still dreams of starting her own business.
Looking back, she says, “I want people to see girls like us as real workers, not just house girls, because we work hard and deserve respect, not pain.”
Mweha Msemo is a freelance journalist based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He has a specific interest in social issues. He is available at mwehahamran@yahoo.com.
One Response
I really appreciate your efforts, I think it’s the time for the society to be educated on this issue of domestic labour. Young children are employed as the house helpers and are given a lot of work with low payment, and they faces a lot of humiliation but they have no where to presents their challenges and the biggest problem is that they are not aware of their rights. Let us support them either by introducing an organization which will bring them together and hears them out.