‘Deported After 3 Months Without Pay in Saudi’: Murang’a Mother’s Painful Journey of Hope, Abuse, and Betrayal

A young mother of two from Murang’a has shared a gut-wrenching story of sacrifice and survival after being deported from Saudi Arabia just months into what she thought would be a life-changing opportunity.

Goretti Wambui, now 24, hoped to escape a violent marriage and lift her children out of poverty. But her journey took a cruel turn, leaving her stranded and penniless in a foreign land.

In an exclusive interview, Wambui recounted dropping out of school due to financial constraints and getting married at a young age. She dreamed of building a loving family, but instead, her marriage turned into a nightmare of abuse.

“He drank a lot of alcohol and, at times, he would beat me. This went on until I had my second-born, and that’s when I started thinking of a way out,” she said.

Desperate to break free and provide a better life for her children, she secretly saved proceeds from her small mtumba (second-hand clothes) business to fund a move to Saudi Arabia.

“I needed the birth certificate to get a passport, and I didn’t want him to know I was planning to run away. I endured a beating just to get that document,” she said, recalling how her in-laws later intervened to protect her.

After training in Nakuru and undergoing a four-week orientation, she departed for Saudi Arabia in May 2021. However, instead of a fresh start, she encountered exploitation.

“I worked for three months without pay. They took my passport and restricted my communication. Eventually, I was thrown out and deported,” Wambui said.

She now calls for tighter regulation of domestic worker recruitment and more government support for women fleeing abuse.

“My only dream was to give my children a better life. I didn’t deserve this,” she said tearfully.

Her story mirrors the plight of many Kenyan women abroad who suffer in silence. Wambui is now back in Murang’a, struggling to rebuild her life from scratch—but determined not to give up.

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‘Deported After 3 Months Without Pay in Saudi’: Murang’a Mother’s Painful Journey of Hope, Abuse, and Betrayal