The story of this Filipina nanny certainly strikes a chord with all the mothers and their frantic search for a perfect care-taker for their kids. When Rowena and Tarek Karaman were looking for a nanny to look after their daughter Abla, they were elated to find Ana Fernandez.
"I think you get a good gut-feeling as a mother when someone is right for your family. You seem connected on multiple levels," Rowena was quoted as saying in The Filipino Times. But what led Rowena connect with Ana right away? Motherhood is what Rowena believes set the ball rolling for both the women as Ana has a daughter she has left back home, who is the same age as Abla.
Noting that their nanny misses her child back in the Philippines, Rowena said, "She once told me that she wants to spend time with a family whose child is similar age to her own daughter so she knows how to relate with her when she talks to her over the phone, and how to spend time with her when she returns to the Philippines."
Adding how Ana does not consider taking care Abla merely as a job, Rowena said, "I am thankful for all heartwarming things she does for Abla and I am sure that is a trait that comes exactly from the Philippines. She is not just doing it because it is her job."
Talking about Ana's dedication, Rowena added, "She rarely has her phone out when she is with Abla. If she does, she connects with other nannies so Abla could play with other kids. She always makes new arts and crafts and invents new games."
But Ana goes beyond her work duties to help give Abla a normal life. She does not keep Abla indoors all the time and makes an effort to let the little girl see the outside world and meet people. From taking a ride in the Metro, roaming around the city, visiting malls and Philippine Consul Office in Dubai, Anna tries to take along Abla everywhere.
This connection between Abla and Ana is the main reason that the couple treats the Filipina as a friend and a part of their family. So when Ana was in need of Php10,000 (Dh687 approx) for her daughter's school tuition fees, the couple stood by her in her difficult time. They decided to give Ana Php20,000 (Dh1374 approx) instead so that she could use the extra cash to buy her daughter's requirements at school.
Besides this, the couple tries to make Ana feel wanted by being a part of her ups and downs. In September 2016, Rowena and Tarek took Ana out to celebrate her birthday and also bought her a roundtrip ticket to visit her daughter back home. "We don't think we're doing something special. We would do this to someone we care about. We care a lot about Ana. She has a life outside of this family that we also want her to be able to develop," Rowena said.
