During an interview on Sunday morning, Jennifer Okalo, a resident of Kakamega County, became emotional as she recounted the traumatic ordeal she experienced while working in Saudi Arabia.
Jennifer explained that she chose to seek employment abroad after being promised a house help job that would enable her to earn a living and support her family back in Kenya.
She said that at the time of her departure, she believed she would be working under normal conditions as a domestic worker. However, her expectations were shattered shortly after arriving in Saudi Arabia.
Upon reaching her destination, she discovered that the role she had been promised had already been filled by another worker.
Jennifer revealed that she was later assigned duties that were completely different from what she had initially agreed upon.
According to her account, the following morning, her female employer brought several dogs into her room and allegedly instructed her to engage in disturbing and degrading acts involving the animals.
She said she refused and pleaded to be sent back home, but her requests were ignored.
Jennifer further claimed that she was threatened and eventually forced to comply, explaining that she felt helpless in a foreign country without her passport, money, or anyone to turn to for assistance.
She stated that she endured the abuse until the end of her contract, after which she managed to escape and return to Kenya.
Now back home, Jennifer is warning other Kenyan women to exercise caution when seeking job opportunities abroad, noting that not all offers are legitimate.
She also appealed to the government to enhance protections for migrant workers.
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