Working abroad is really tough! But just the thought of getting your salary at the end of the month, instant gives you the energy to pursue your work.
But, this isn’t the case of Nena. She had to wait for 9 years to get the salary she deserve.
Nina © Kuwaittimes
Her Story!
Nena, 35, went to work in Kuwait as an household worker to help her family in Compostella Valley, Philippines. She arrived in Kuwait last June 8, 2005 and started work at her employer’s house. Because she left debts back home, she asked her employer for a two-month advance salary. Her employer gave the money amounting to KD90 since her monthly salary is KD4.
After a while, she again borrowed two months of her salary from her employer and it was again granted. Since then, she didn’t receive any salary for nine years now. Every time she’s asking for her salary, the employer assures her that the money is in the bank already.
Her sufferings didn’t end with that. After five months, Nena’s situation worsen. She is suddenly prohibited from going out of her employer’s house and was even banned from throwing garbage outside the house.
There’s even a time that she heard her employer telling her sons to hit her or kill her once she tries to escape from their house.
Aside from the outside world isolation, she is also not allowed to talk to fellow domestic helpers. Her mobile phone was also confiscated and she lost total communication from her family. She was only allowed to write letters but to no avail, she did not receive any reply.
Nena’s two year contract ended, so she asked her employer if she can now go home to the Philippines. Her employer refused and she was asked for another six months to stay. Six months have passed and her employer still did not allowed her to go home. She couldn’t ask for help from anybody.
Last April of 2015, another Filipina was hired by their employer so Nena thought she could now go home. But her expectations failed her, she was still not allowed to go back to the Philippines.
Luckily, the rare opportunity to escape came when they were brought by their sponsor to visit a relative. The newly hired helper got the chance to get a mobile phone and they used the sim card brought from the Philippines. The new helper called her family in the Philippines and her family asked for help from the Philippine Embassy.
After that call, they were still advised to wait for the right opportunity to get out of their current situation. On August 25, 2015, Nena and the newly brought helper escaped from their employer’s house. Assistance to Nationals Unit of the Embassy rescued both women. Nena is still in the Philippine embassy now and her case is awaiting resolution much sooner.
Source : Kuwaittimes
