At the time the government is struggling to find money to bring back over 20 young women who are stranded in Kuwait where they were ‘trafficked’ to, it has emerged that the same government approved the travel of some women to the same country last month.
Government has admitted it has been dealing with a labour recruitment agency, Sceptre Business Solutions, which, we can report, has been sending women to the Middle East.
Posing as a client, one of our reporters approached Mangochi-based Sheikh Ahmed Mwanyali at his home-cum-office to express interest for him to facilitate her travel to Kuwait.
“It’s indeed true that I have been helping girls to go to Kuwait for work. Just last month (May), I sent five girls to Kuwait, three from Mangochi and two from Lilongwe,” he said.
We learnt that Mwanyali is an agent responsible for Mangochi, Balaka, Machinga and Zomba and he works together with a colleague, Clifton Milanzi, who is based in Lilongwe.
Each client is required to pay K120, 000 for the whole process which is finalised in Lilongwe. There Milanzi completes the process which includes helping with police clearances at Police Headquarters at Area 30.
Among the documentation for the trip is a form which a guardian or parent is supposed to complete in approval of the travel.
We also learnt that Milanzi ensures that the women board a flight that leaves Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in the night.
Both Mwanyali and Milanzi work for Sceptre Business Solutions whose headquarters is in Lilongwe.
Mwanyali dismissed widespread reports that the girls who travel to Kuwait are being used as sex objects or exploited.
He also argued that the five girls he sent last month have been communicating with their parents.
“None of them has been subjected to abuse. They are very safe. In fact one of the girls I sent last month sent money to her mother through Western Union,” he said.
He insisted that he is not in human trafficking; that is why parents and guardians are given the form to give consent.
Mwanyali highlighted that those that have been reporting abuse either used shortcuts to get there or were sent back after being diagnosed with HIV or STIs.
“Passports are confiscated for security reasons. Movements are also restricted because there women are not allowed to walk anyhow,” he said.
“The main reason why they want to have maids is to keep them company because most wives are lonely,” he said.
A woman who called herself Mayi Myson who lives close to Mwanyali’s residence confirmed that her daughter was one of the five girls Mwanyali sent to Kuwait last month.
Myson said she and the daughter left for Lilongwe where the daughter boarded a plane that leaves at night. She said her daughter has been calling her to say she is fine and she sent her money recently.
We first contacted Mwanyali on the phone before we travelled to meet him. During the phone conversation, he said the requirements included a full picture of a lady interested to go, a passport size photo, a medical report indicating that one does not have HIV or other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), is not pregnant and does not have high blood pressure.
Mwanyali said “the idea behind indicating weight, height and sending a picture is that the employers should see how you look like.”
“You know some people would prefer a fat maid while others would prefer a slim one,” he said.
The application form also indicates the kind of tasks one will be involved in and they are cooking, washing and babysitting.
“This is what you will basically be required to do. I hope you know how to wash. I know in our Malawian culture girls are taught at a young age how to do these things so this will not be a problem,” he said.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour, Youth and Manpower Development Simon Mbvundula said the ministry has been dealing with Sceptre Business Solutions in labour exports.
“We are dealing with them. They have counterparts in Kuwait who follow up on the people they are sending. They were even here yesterday,” Mbvundula said.
Early this week, the ministry released a statement expressing concern over what it said were the increasing reported cases of abuse and exploitation of Malawians working abroad, particularly in the Middle East.
“It is even more disheartening to learn that most of those who find themselves in such unfortunate situation migrate after fulfilling all the requirements for the job offered as set by the prospective employer.
“The reports emerging are to the effect that upon taking up employment, the identity and travel documents of the unsuspecting Malawians are retained by the employers. The conditions of work turn out to be worse off than what was promised and in some cases, even the type of job changes to one that is worse off, for example from hair dresser in a beauty salon to domestic worker,” said the ministry in a statement signed by Secretary for Labour, Patrick Kabambe.
The ministry detailed 16 guidelines to be observed by recruitment agencies and migrating individuals, warning recruitment agencies that failure to comply will result in deregistration.
It also warned them that they would be liable to prosecution should any Malawian migrant worker whose travel they facilitated suffers abuse or exploitation in the foreign country.
In April this year, the ministry said it was working on a legal framework in order to protect migrant workers.
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