Amina Seid, 27 and a mother of a son, was born in Were Babu Woreda of South Wollo Zone, in Amhara State.
Amina was one of the preys who were deceived by the well-crafted white lies of brokers working in her birth place and disseminating honeyed words to entice the heart and mind of young people living in the surrounding area. Believing their sugarcoated narrations and hoping to find a better life, she put at risk her life at her young age.
Four years ago, by making unwise decision and paying 10,000 Birr to brokers, she started her long journey to Saudi Arabia. Leaving her families and her birth place behind, she travelled by boat through Djibouti, Yemen and the Red Sea.
In truth, as she revealed to the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, this trip was not her first experience; rather, she had done it before. As she stated, eight years ago, she had headed to Saudi Arabia illegally. Though she knows that death might occur during the trip, she travelled using a boat.
Unfortunately, as she arrived there, life was not as simple as she had expected it to be. Though, she aspired to get a good job, lead a better life, and to improve the lives of her family, her dream turned out to be a nightmare. Then, giving up hope, she returned home.
After she got back home, the situation was not as such promising for her. Understanding that she could not support herself and her family, she voyaged again to Saudi Arabia for the second time. Unluckily, as nothing was changed there; her second trip could not do her any good.
At worst, this one was extremely challenging and more difficult than the first one. Because she was undocumented immigrant; let alone to get job, meet her expectations and enjoy every beautiful moment in life, leading fearless and peaceful life has become the most challenging matter. As a result, she compelled to lead a life filled with uncertainties, nervousness and stresses.
Especially, when the government of Saudi started persecuting and detaining undocumented Ethiopians, her whole world turned upside down. Finally, she found herself locked in a dark prison cell squeezing along with other Ethiopians ranging from 300 to 400.
The most devastating thing that happened to her was she had to take her one-year-old baby with her. Spending time in a jail in a condition they could not see the sunlight; and do not receive any medical treatment in case they may feel unwell, was a distressing and tormenting instance for her. She stayed with such demanding situations for eight solid months until the Ethiopian government has started repatriating citizens who have been confining and languishing in cells of Saudi Arabia to their homeland.
Amina’s ordeal did not end there. To get the short end of the stick, when she returned home, she learned that her living areas, including her parents’ properties as well as the assets she had accumulated in earlier years were vandalized and wrecked by the insurgents of the terrorist TPLF group who were invading the areas for a short period of time.
Even though she saddened and disappointed by the unexpected incident, she is extremely happy for returning homeland. “It is quite enough for me to get back to my country,” she said recalling the distressing moments and sufferings she had gone through while she was imprisoned at Saudi’s prison cell.
Amina has now drawn an important lesson from the life risking decision she had made years ago and the miserable life she was forced to lead at a foreign land. Most importantly, she has understood as it is possible to work and prosper at home. Thus, she has decided to work at home and improve her livelihood for the better.
She also advises fellow citizens to work and improve their own and families’ life at home. “Take lesson from my life as a refugee,” she notified.
In fact, yearning for the best and creating opportunities for a wider choice of life is a common aspiration that all human beings are striving for. However, thinking migration as the only way out is imprudent; because it is possible to prosper at home.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 12 APRIL 2022
