Dropping out of school in 7th grade spelt a bleak future for 33-year-old Jane Waithera. Her mother and stepfather decided against sending her back to school.
Since discontinuing her education at a young age, Jane has faced challenges in contributing to her family’s financial needs and putting food on the table.
“I am a class seven dropout and did not manage to continue with my studies due to the abuse I got from my stepdad,” she narrated.
In 2019, Jane was introduced to a work agent for jobs in Saudi Arabia through a friend. She saw this opportunity as a chance to earn a living in the Middle East. Jane Waithera applied for the job and secured a spot.
“The new move meant a lot of comfort to me since my mum had abandoned me after getting married to another man,” she said.
At this point, Waithera left her 5-month-old daughter in the care of her mother, to seek greener pastures in Saudi Arabia. Her first few days in the Gulf nation were quite challenging because the house she was working in was extremely dirty, and needed thorough cleaning.
Lady working in Saudi cries bitterly after losing Sh. 1.6 million savings in Safaricom Sacco
Life became even more challenging when her boss’s husband began making advances towards her. This situation forced Waithera to come up with an escape plan to return to Kenya safely.
“I informed my friend about what was happening. Together, we formulated a plan which involved me dressing like a man since it was easier for me to move around like that.”
Her plan was foiled when 3 men discovered her gender and informed the police. Eventually, Jane had to bribe authorities to leave the country.
In her time in the Middle East, Jane had been saving consistently for one and a half years. She had accumulated over Sh. 400,000 worth in savings. She was returning in high spirits knowing that her mother had safeguarded her money.
‘I was excited to come back home, knowing I had secured my family’s future with enough savings to start a business and provide for my ageing mother and daughter,” she said.
Upon her arrival in 2021, Jane was shocked to find her bank account had a balance of only Sh. 30,000. This crushed her deeply. She could not hold back her tears, as she blamed her mother for squandering nearly all the money.
Jane Wambui: My daughter spent my Sh. 2m Saudi savings on parties, drinks
“It is from that point that I decided never to call her ‘mum’ again. Even though I forgave her, we hardly talk. That incident injured our relationship,” she said.
She now resides in Naivasha town and is constantly looking for job opportunities to cater for her child’s education and basic needs.