They also let their daughters, nine-year-old Olivia and four-year-old Sophia, who have been looked after by Ms Cardoza since they were born, be part of Trashion.
Ms Cardoza put together a flower-shaped dress made out of cartons of Olivia’s favourite milk brand, Farmhouse, and an accompanying butterfly costume for Sophia.
“Joy wanted to do something,” said Mr David James, 51, Ms Cardoza’s employer, who is from Britain.
“She wanted to focus on recycling, and the girls wanted to get involved. There’s always been talk of recycling in school, and this is a good example to show how it’s translated into reality,” he said.
“Joy has really been a part of the family,” said Mr James.
A sense of empowerment
Ms Cardoza acknowledged that many maids like her have not been as fortunate.
“But I always tell them to be thankful because they at least still have jobs here. I tell them to do their jobs well, so that the people they’re working for will be happy,” she said.
She said most employers here in Singapore do appreciate it when their helpers do their jobs well.
“It’s automatic because people do return a good deed with a good deed, unless they are really very bad,” she said.
Ms Cardoza said depression usually sets in and becomes a problem not because of the work or the employers, but because of the sense of isolation in being away from one’s family.
“We can do the work here, no matter how difficult it may be. But once you feel the detachment from your family, that is the worst feeling any OFW (overseas Filipino worker) can feel,” she said.
“You feel like you have no one else but yourself,” she said.
Dr Chok, of Home, said events like Trashion are meant to help ease that sense of being alone.
“I think on Sundays, when they have their events together, they get a sense of community, a sense of empowerment,” she said.