A 32-year old Malawian woman only identified as Georgina was trafficked to Oman as a domestic worker. She used to be a business owner in Lilongwe before the agents approached her that there were opportunities for her to make more money working as a driver in Dubai.
In Dubai Georgina was given a family who made her work long hours, seven days a week.
Georgina spoke to the BBC’s Africa Eye that her boss used to rape her and sometimes he could bring his friends to sleep with her and pay him after. Her boss threatened to kill her if she will tell anyone about it.
She later approached a 38-year old Malawian social media activist Pililani Mombe Nyoni on Facebook for help. Nyoni saw her message and began to investigate.
Nyoni passed her number to Georgina and told BBC that she’s going to form a group of [WhatsApp] to message other girls who were also facing abuse while working as domestic workers in Oman because this looks like human trafficking.
Oman had over 50 Malawian women working as domestic workers, the women sent voice notes and videos detailing horrific conditions the women were enduring. Many of them said their passports have been taken way.
Oman pay agents to bring him domestic workers. This makes it difficult for a worker to leave an employer because the worker is demand to pay the employer money.
Nyoni connected with Ekaterina Porras Sivolobova, founder of Do Bold, based in Greece. In order to help Georgina, Do Bold identifies victims of trafficking or forced labour in the Gulf countries and then negotiates with their employer for them to be released.
Following Georgina’s return,local organization in Malawi started mounting pressure on the Malawi Government to provide funds for the safe return of the girls trapped in Oman.
The Malawi Government, which also worked with Do Bold, told BBC it has spent a lot of money to bring 54 women back from Oman.
Source:BBC
