By Sr. Josephine Gakii Mwitari, SJGM
Tumaini, whose name means hope, had always dreamed of improving her family’s life. One
day, she was introduced to an agent who promised her a well-paying job abroad
(ughaibuni). The agent assured her that she would work as a caregiver for people with
special needs and earn about KES 250,000 per month. The salary sounded life-changing, and
Tumaini believed this was the opportunity she had been praying for.
To secure the job, Tumaini was told she had to pay KES 400,000 for document processing
and travel fees. Raising such a large amount of money was not easy. She borrowed from
family members and even took a bank loan. Despite the financial burden, she remained
hopeful that the sacrifice would soon be rewarded.
When Tumaini shared the news with Sr. Clare was also excited. She encouraged Tumaini,
promised to pray for her, and supported her throughout the process. Tumaini’s husband
also stood by her. Since they were not yet legally married, they were advised to formalize
their marriage before she travelled. They were also warned that she must not become
pregnant because, according to the agent, the authorities abroad would reject her
application.
Tumaini was instructed to improve her English. She borrowed a laptop from her sister and
faithfully attended online English classes. Later, she was invited to Nairobi to sit for an
English examination, which she passed successfully. This increased her confidence that
everything was genuine. Looking back, she says these were some of the tricks used to make
the process appear genuine.
For many months, Tumaini remained in close communication with the agent. Every time she
asked about her travel date, she was told, “Next month.” The promises continued for more
than two years. Finally, the agent claimed that the government had restricted overseas
recruitment and promised to refund the money. However, the refund never came. When
Tumaini and others threatened to report the matter to the police, the agent disappeared,
and the money was lost. To this day, Tumaini is still repaying the bank loan she took to
pursue the promised job.
As time went on, Sr. Clare learned that many other people had been recruited by the same
network. Some eventually travelled abroad, only to discover that there were no jobs waiting for them. They found no accommodation and were forced to sleep on the floor of a large
hall with many other people. They received very little food, mostly snacks, despite the cold
winter weather.
After a difficult struggle, a few managed to find casual work in supermarkets, factories, or as
house helps. Many others could not survive under those conditions and were eventually
assisted by the government of the host country to return home.
Around the same period, Sr. Clare attended a workshop on preventing human trafficking.
During the training, she learned how traffickers operate. They often use attractive promises
of good jobs, high salaries, and a better future. They speak confidently, build trust over
time, and persuade victims to pay large sums of money or make major life decisions before
travelling.
The workshop opened her eyes to the reality of human trafficking and the
importance of verifying every overseas job opportunity before making any payments.
Today, Sr. Clare is grateful to the organizers of that workshop for creating awareness. The
knowledge she gained has helped her educate others about the dangers of trafficking and
fraudulent recruitment schemes.
Although Tumaini experienced a painful financial loss and emotional disappointment, her
story did not end in despair. She refused to give up. With the support of her loving husband
and family, she started a small business and became self-employed. Today, she is a happy
wife, a proud mother of one child, and a source of hope for many people facing similar
challenges.
Tumaini’s experience teaches us an important lesson: we should never trust overseas job
offers without proper verification through the relevant government authorities. We must be
cautious of agents who demand large payments or make unrealistic promises. Human
trafficking often begins with attractive offers that seem too good to be true. Through
awareness, careful verification, and community education, we can protect ourselves and
others from becoming victims.