Domestic Helpers Are the Subject of a New Opera, Mila

There’s a general rule of thumb in Hong Kong that when you have a child, you get a maid. That may seem like an indulgence, but hiring live-in household help—predominantly females hailing from the Philippines and Indonesia—is seen as essential and, at just $565 a month in minimum wages, highly affordable. One helper means both parents can work. Two means never worrying about groceries or figuring out how to use the washing machine.