Across many labour migration routes, the experiences of young Africans working abroad continue to draw attention, with conversations increasingly focusing on workers’ rights, contract transparency, and protection of personal documents.
These concerns have become central in discussions around overseas employment opportunities and the realities that often emerge after relocation.
A Kenyan woman living in Romania has now shared a detailed personal account of her early experiences abroad, describing what she says was a difficult adjustment period marked by confusion, restricted freedom, and uncertainty over her employment status.
The woman, identified as someone who knows Sylvia Nyambura, narrated her experience in a reflective statement shared as part of her journey abroad, saying she had hoped for better opportunities but encountered unexpected challenges soon after arriving in Europe.
She recounted that about three months after reaching Romania, she was taken by an agent from the recruiting office to an immigration centre for biometric registration alongside other foreign workers.
“Let me give another episode because I know you love stories yaani mushene. healing begins when we speak.. After 3 months of arriving in Romania, a man from the agents office was sent to take me for biometrics at the immigration office,” she said.
According to her, the agent carried a large envelope containing passports and other documents belonging to the recruited workers.
She says the process initially appeared routine, until an unexpected incident occurred during fingerprint verification.
“When it was my time to go and take the finger prints, the man followed me to the counter and gave me my passport to present for verification. I thought my darling passport was back.... shock on me,” she recalled.
She added that once the immigration officer completed the verification, the agent swiftly retrieved her passport, explaining that he had been instructed to return all documents to the agency office.
“By the time the officer was done with the documents and it was time to return the passport, the agency employee grabbed it as fast as lightning. When I asked why he won’t let me keep it he told me he was strictly instructed by his boss,” she said.
She described the moment as emotionally overwhelming, noting that she began questioning her decision to relocate as she struggled with difficult working conditions and homesickness.
“By that time reality of slavery had sank in because of the tough situations i was facing at work. I was missing my country terribly. I watched my passport go away again and I wondered… what did I sign up for?” she said.
In a follow-up account, she said she later confronted her manager over the decision to retain her passport, especially since she had financed her relocation independently.
“I asked the manager why they had to retain my passport yet they did not pay anything for my relocation… he was so mad he told me he was afraid we will move to Germany,” she said.
She claims that after raising concerns, she was labelled difficult by her employers, making her working environment increasingly strained.
“Since that day I was labelled ‘the bad one’ since I was challenging them with questions I was not supposed to ask,” she added.
Despite the challenges, she says her situation improved after several months. She eventually regained her passport, switched employers, and secured what she describes as better working conditions.
“After 7 months of struggles, I finally got back my passport & changed the company to a better one… I was finally a free bird,” she said.
She later relocated to Germany, saying her financial situation and working environment improved significantly compared to her earlier experience.
Reflecting on her journey, she urged Kenyans planning to move abroad to understand labour laws in destination countries, particularly on issues related to contracts and personal documentation.
“The point of my long story is… your passport is your personal document & nobody is supposed to retain it for whatever reason. It is your security & your freedom,” she said, adding that “information is power” for anyone seeking opportunities overseas.