Goretti Wambui, a mother of two, opened up about her journey abroad that ended in heartbreak. She got married in 2017 after leaving school due to financial difficulties, hoping for a peaceful family life. However, her dreams were quickly shattered.
“I just wanted a better life for my kids,” Wambui shared. “After years of struggle, I decided to travel to Saudi Arabia for work.”
To do so, she endured many obstacles, including resistance from her husband. She managed to get her birth certificate, which she needed to apply for a passport, with help from her in-laws. She used savings from her small mtumba (second-hand clothing) business to travel to Nakuru for pre-departure training.
Despite her relatives trying to convince her to stay for the sake of her children, Wambui was determined. In May 2021, she left Kenya to work as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia.
Unfortunately, her expectations of a better life were met with a harsh reality. Wambui said her employers mistreated her and withheld her salary for several months. Language barriers made it difficult to communicate, and her attempts to resolve the situation led nowhere.
Encouraged by others in similar situations, she eventually left the household in search of safer working conditions. However, she was detained by Saudi authorities. After a brief investigation, she was deported back to Kenya — without pay and without any of her belongings.
“The deportation centre was tough, but I was relieved to come back home alive,” she said.
Now back in Murang’a, Wambui is rebuilding her life from scratch, holding onto hope that better days are still ahead for her and her children.
