This archive report was first published on 2 November 2019.
Published on November 2, 2019, a group of Kenyan teachers who had sought better opportunities in Somaliland have spoken out about the mistreatment they faced at the hands of their employer.
According to interviews with 17 teachers, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, the teachers were subjected to false promises during recruitment, gross underpayment, instant deportations, and various forms of abuse, including sexual harassment, inadequate food, substandard accommodation, and restrictions on their freedom of movement and association.
Elm, a school that opened in 2007, is a popular choice among Somaliland's elite and Somali refugee returnees from the United States and Europe. The school's promotional videos boast that it is a 'centre of excellence, a safe and secure environment that encourages students to realise their full potential.'
However, the reality for the Kenyan teachers who work at Elm is far from ideal. Many of the teachers who spoke to the Nation reported that school officials would keep their passports, effectively limiting their movement in a foreign land.
'When you land in Hargeisa, that is the last time you see your passport,' one teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
