This archive report was first published on 15 December 2019.
Published on December 15, 2019, a Kenyan woman's harrowing tale of exploitation in Saudi Arabia has come to light.
Lydia Mutua, a Kenyan national, was lured to Saudi Arabia by a Nairobi-based recruitment agency after paying a hefty Sh60,000 processing fee and an additional Sh5,000 medical fee.
Despite being aware of previous reports of Kenyan domestic workers being tortured in Saudi Arabia, Lydia was driven by desperation to earn a good income.
'I had heard that people could make good money working for rich families in Saudi Arabia, so I wanted to have that connection as well,' she revealed.
However, her experience turned out to be a nightmare. She was forced to work for at least 18 hours a day, with only two hours of sleep, and was subjected to physical abuse and exploitation by her employer.
'Woe unto you if you make an error while performing these duties because you will be subjected to physical abuse or your salary deducted,' she warned.
After two months of working as a house girl, Lydia decided to return home, citing unbearable working conditions and physical abuse.
'I decided to request for help from my parents back in Kenya who sent me money for transport after which I jetted back,' she said.
Lydia, who currently lives in Mlolongo, has vowed never to return to Saudi Arabia to work as a househelp and can only accept a job offer from a well-established company.
