News of Kenyans being exploited and mistreated in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries is not a new thing.
However, the recent case of Rebecca Chesang’ is heartbreaking and saddening to say the least.
Chesang’, 30, worked as a waitress in Eldoret town until sometime in 2020 when she was told of an agent who was recruiting workers for a job market abroad.
Driven by the desire to change her life, she made her mind to travel to Saudi Arabia amidst all the horrifying stories she has heard about the place.
Chesang’ left her Nandi home with the hope of rewriting the story of Kenyans who have worked in Saudi but all she can narrate is a pain.
She recently contacted the Standard and narrated her ordeal in working for her employer based in Arar town and has 11 children.
Besides beatings, she says that she has been sexually molested.
“They (the couple) have inserted some objects in my private parts and I am in great pain. The woman of the house hit me on the leg, accusing me of delaying to complete some house chores on time. I am calling for help from the Government of Kenya,” she narrated.
Chesang’s’ mother Rhoda Jemeli said that her daughter never informed them that she was travelling to Saudi.
She said that Chesang’ told one her aunts in Nairobi that she was flying to Australia to further her education but later learnt that she flew to Saudi Arabia for a domestic worker’s job.
“She initially told her aunt in Nairobi that she was heading to Australia for an academic scholarship. I was later surprised to learn that she was in Saudi Arabia all along,” a traumatized mother recalled.
Jemeli says that she has forgiven her but cannot wrap her mind around the extent of injuries her daughter has sustained.
Chesang’ had been sending her family photos of her injuries inflicted on her by her employer.
What worried her more is that she is no longer picking calls although her employer had threatened to send her out of her house a few days ago.
Chesang recalled that the agency which took her to Saudi had promised to take her to Australia but ended up in Saudi Arabia.
Doris Jepkurui told the Standard that she contacted the agency that allegedly took Chesang to Saudi Arabia.
The agency’s director only identified as Grace absolved herself from blame saying that she cannot intervene in her client’s woes once she is with her employer in Saudi.
Her family is now appealing to the Kenyan government to help evacuate her.
