The following case stories are developed based on true story of women that received shelter based service in Addis Ababa Shelter and it is drafted by GSA personnel and presented anonymously.
Case story 1:
Most of my documentation after I decided to go to the Middle East reads …. Although my “real” name/identity was quite different than the one I gave for myself. I changed my name as a conscious decision, a conscious decision to ease into a life/world I had no prior experience in.
Before my life as “migrant” I wasn’t unhappy. Born in a small town in Amhara Region, I was a single mother abandoned by my husband after pregnancy. I made a living for myself and my child as a daily laborer, selling boiled potato, roasted barley (Kollo) among other things. My life, I felt was going well and in the right direction until a friend of mine presented me with the opportunity to go abroad, Libya to be specific, for a better life for a cost. The offer was appealing as I have witnessed others who have left in search of a better life and were successful, so I decided to take her up on her offer.
On the day I was supposed to leave the country, my friend who escorted me to the airport, introduced me to a man who I would come to know was an agent. My first employment was in a large house with 10 rooms, all of which I was expected to clean on a daily basis. Food was not provided, nor did I get enough sleep, at which point I got sick. At this point I had already kept my promise to my friend and paid her the money in full. I also tried to get her help regarding my situation, but she disappeared. After two months of suffering and exhausting all my possible options I was unable to continue and so I ran away.
Luckily, I found a new house to work in, but the luck was short lived. The woman I was working for would send me to her mother so that I could assist there. She would also harass me by beating me and not paying me my salary. After 4 months of agony, the woman sold my passport and turned me into the police. I was imprisoned for 4 years! The harassment and mistreatment continued also throughout my imprisonment years.
By the time I was rescued by IOM, I was already suffering from mental health problems. IOM took me to Ethiopia and transferred me to a local organization called Good Samaritan Association (GSA) where I was provided with temporary shelter along with other returnees. During my stay there I was provided with counseling, food, and shelter services. I was also able to regain my physical as well mental stability back and see my family again due to the support I got from the center. After rejoining my community, I was provided with seed money of 10,000 ETB to realize my goal of opening a small restaurant. Furthermore GSA, by liaising with local authorities in the region was able to facilitate the acquisition of a working space for me to work in.
Case story 2:
Trading was my main source of income and employment. I was also a passionate runner, it was more than just a hobby for me, but since I couldn’t pay membership fee to the clubs in my district, I was unable to participate. The decision to migrate to the Middle East was more than a decision to seek better employment but to also realize my dream of becoming a runner.
My boy friend gave me money to migrate so that I can better both our lives. He told me to use the money to go to Beirut where I can work and become a runner. Hence I made all the necessary arrangements with the broker and left for Beirut. At the destination airport, I was greeted by my employers and together we headed to their house. Following our arrival, the first thing I noticed was the enormity of the house and that I was the only maid they had. Unlike most housemaids’ going from Ethiopia, language was not much of a barrier because I could speak English.
They allowed me little bit of liberty such as the freedom to make my own food, but I also faced a lot of violence and harassment from my employers. There was even one incident I remember that put my life at risk. I had asked my employers to make a phone call to my family, but the Madame responded by pushing me down from the third floor. Following the incident, I woke up at the hospital with no money and no prospects.
It’s been 6 months since I have returned, I am very thankful that I have survived, but I am scared to go back home without money. Nonetheless GSA provided me with the necessary support to purchase livestock as a means of livelihood and also paid for my child’s driver license school.