The article examines the perilous journey of Kenyan women who seek employment as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, lured by the promise of financial stability. Although initial excitement fills the departure terminals, the reality is stark, with many women returning home after experiencing severe abuse, unpaid wages, or even death. Disturbing mortality statistics, including at least 274 deaths of Kenyan workers, reveal a pattern of trauma associated with unsafe work conditions, while government accountability remains questionable, leaving these vulnerable workers at risk.
On any given day in Kenya, dozens, if not hundreds of women buzz around the Nairobi international airport's departures area, lured by company recruiters to jobs in Saudi Arabia.
The departure terminal hums with anticipation, while in contrast, the arrivals area presents a grim reality of hollow-cheeked women returning from Saudi Arabia, often ground down by unpaid wages and abuse.
Autopsy reports for many women who have died in Saudi Arabia are vague and contradictory, describing trauma such as burns and electric shocks but classified as natural deaths.
The labor committee in Kenya's National Assembly has the power to demand investigations into worker deaths but has yet to take significant action to protect these women.
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