To secure a move abroad, many Kenyans have been obtaining green cards, while others use agents who help them secure visas for international relocation.
Such is the story of Eunice Magori, who left the country in 2023 to work as a house help in Turkey.
However, her journey was far from easy. Her family had to sell a portion of their land for Ksh 500,000 to raise money for her and her sister to travel abroad. The money was given to an agent who facilitated their move to the foreign land.
“The agent informed us that there were jobs with good salaries in Turkey, but because we couldn’t afford the required money, my family sold a portion of land to process our passports,” narrated Magori, who hails from Kisii County.
Immediately upon her arrival in Turkey, her passport was confiscated by her employers, and she worked for four months without receiving the agreed salary of Ksh 60,000 per month.
“The work was tedious, involving house chores and looking after two children without enough food. I became weak and emaciated, but anytime I complained to the Turkish agent, she threatened to deport me,” Magori said.
After continuous struggles with her employers, she was finally taken to a nearby police station, arrested, and deported back to Kenya.
“It was saddening that my clothes were brought to me while at the deportation center,” said Magori, who was deported about seven months after she arrived in Turkey.
Magori stayed at the deportation center for two months before being sent back to Kenya in October last year. She said efforts to reach both the Kenyan and Turkish agents bore no fruit, despite her pleas.