Ye Sao, which translates to Coconut Sisters, is a famous domestic-service brand established by Hainan Home Service Association, based in South China's Hainan Province. Lin Shaoli heads the association. She is also chairperson of Hainan sisters domestic-service company, and founder of a vocational-training school in the province. 

Since 2000, Lin has helped women find employment in the domestic-service industry. She has adhered to her original aspirations of serving women and caring for the development of children. 

To date, Lin's company has trained more than 200,000 women, including approximately 3,000 women who have worked as domestic-service instructors, managers, vocational-skills-test examiners, and/or high-level, domestic workers. 

"I feel honored that I have worked in the domestic-service industry for 24 years. I have witnessed the development of this industry in China, and I have seen how the industry has become more professional, standard, and how the industry has developed with more mature brands of service providers," Lin says.

Lin believes standards need to be established to ensure domestic workers do a better job, and potential employers need to grasp certain information in advance, so they can know clearly what kind of workers they want to hire. 

In 2020, an online platform was launched in Hainan. A database, which contains information about domestic-service companies, and their potential employees, in the province, has been established on the platform. By checking information on the database, potential clients can gain a better understanding of the trustworthiness and quality of services provided by the domestic workers they are considering hiring. 

Lin adds the domestic-service industry requires workers who are warmhearted, and who have a strong sense of responsibility. As head of an association, company and school in the field, Lin has done her part to help domestic workers fulfill their value in their respective posts. For example, between 2021 and 2022, Lin's company helped a combined 10,693 people find jobs. 

What does Lin, who has worked in the domestic-service sector for more than two decades, foresee in the industry's development? More specifically, what does she see in the industry's development in Hainan Province? To both, she is full of confidence. 

In 2020, China released a master plan to build the whole of Hainan Island into a globally influential and high-level free trade port (FTP) by the middle of the century. Lin says Hainan FTP will create great opportunities for the province to enhance and expand its domestic-service industry. 

"As a vivid example of China's high-level opening-up, Hainan FTP will attract more foreigners, who are likely to need high-quality domestic services. Ye Sao, or Coconut Sisters, represents a 'calling card' of the various domestic services we can provide, here in Hainan. So, I will continue leading my company in building our brand, by improving the quality of the domestic services we provide. I will spare no effort in contributing my wisdom and strength in promoting high-quality development of domestic services during the construction of Hainan FTP," Lin concludes.
 

Photos from Interviewee

(Women of China English Monthly July 2024)

Editor: Wang Shasha