Escaping the Nightmare of Saudi Arabia

Lucy Wanjiku considers herself incredibly lucky to have survived a terrifying experience that few others in her situation have lived through.

Ms. Wanjiku set out from Ngodu village in Njoro, Nakuru County with lofty aspirations of finding brighter prospects abroad. But her goal led to a painful and agonizing journey fraught with disappointments. Her predicament has been made worse by the silence of her little sister, Hannah Ruguru, who hasn't been in contact for years. It's a distressing situation that refuses to abate for Ms Wanjiku and her loved ones.

Having landed a position in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as a domestic worker and earning a monthly salary of Sh29,000, she felt like she'd shaken off the burden of being unemployed. Being a single mom to two kids, including a child with special needs, she thought a job like this would be her ticket to a better life.

Unaware of what fate had in store for her, Ms Wanjiku unknowingly entered another dreadful scenario upon reaching Saudi Arabia. Things appeared relatively upbeat in the preliminary days, but the guise of positivity soon dissipated into thin air. Ms Wanjiku recounts her difficult experience working abroad, recalling her employer's distressing demeanour. Despite working long hours, she endured physical abuse and had her salary withheld. As time went on, her working conditions deteriorated, and she felt increasingly isolated from her family.

To remedy her situation, Ms. Wanjiku opted to enlist the help of her agent in Saudi Arabia. After negotiations, she received partial payment for five months, but the payments suddenly stopped, and she was even denied food. Despite facing exhaustion and threats, Ms Wanjiku persisted in providing for her family, surviving on just one meal per day.

Her employer even went as far as threatening her life, and she overheard a conversation on a plot to harm her and dispose of her body. Fearing for her safety, Ms. Wanjiku repeatedly requested her release. However, she was deceived into going to the agent's office, only to be abandoned at a mosque for a week. Fortunately, she was eventually rescued by police officers who facilitated her return to Kenya.

Living with her elderly mother, Ms Wanjiku now depends on her older brother, Ayub Njuguna, for support. During her time in Saudi Arabia, she confided in her brother about the mistreatment she endured while in Saudi Arabia.
Although Lucy's mother Teresia Wambui is relieved to have her daughter back home, she is saddened that her other daughter, Hannah Ruguru, remains trapped in Saudi Arabia.

Hannah, a mother of two, had departed for Saudi Arabia in 2014 and managed to work for a year before being forcefully expelled from her employer's residence. Her boss falsely accused her of theft, resulting in the confiscation of her travel documents and the withholding of her wages.