Feelings of joy and happiness were witnessed after the return of Esther Nabateregga, Zalika Kagoya, and Grace Nabbale from the prison in Jordan.
These young ladies have now marked the number of returns to increase to 42 Ugandan citizens who were victims of human trafficking repatriated by the Muko Protection Agency (MPA).
This achievement was the result of coordinated efforts by the agency (Muko Protection Agency) together with its partner, only identified as Maama Melissa.
Speaking at Entebbe International Airport on Friday, 20th September, while receiving the returning victims, Pamela Besigye, the Muko Protection Agency supervisor, urged all the agent’s companies to stop human trafficking because it is the main cause of human abuse among other challenges that are being faced to the people that move abroad for work.
“I don’t see any reason why you can take a person to work, and you don’t make a follow-up to such a person. So please, agents, kindly mind about people’s lives because it’s put off your job,” she said.
Besigye also encouraged agents and fellow Ugandans to pass through proper routes because it’s a rare case to find someone suffering when he/she traveled in line with the government’s guidelines.
Zalika Kagoya, one of the victims, explained that after being harassed by the boss, she decided to escape just to save a life, but unfortunately, ended up in prison because she didn’t have money to purchase the air ticket for her return.
“At the beginning of March this year, I went to Jordan to work as a housemaid but I regret having left my motherland due to human abuse cases I have passed through in that Arabian country, including inadequate food, no medical attention by my previous bosses, limited access to my relatives among others,” she said.
Kagoya, therefore, lauds Muko Protection Agency, together with Maama Melissa, who came in for her rescue after being contacted by a fellow Ugandan who she didn’t even know.
“As I was in prison with fellow young ladies, a colleague came in with the idea of contacting Maama Melissa after being advised by someone who she had helped before. So we looked for her number and by God’s grace we got in touch with her, she bought us the air tickets and some shopping because we couldn’t afford anything, but she became our mother until now when you can witness our return,” she narrated.
On the other hand, Esther Nabateregga, who was also filled with joy and happiness, said that it was great to be back in her motherland after spending more than two months in jail, which enormously affected her psychologically.
“I left Uganda with better plans of helping my child and mother in Ntinda, but unfortunately, this wasn’t the case. Reaching Jordan, I was subjected to hard labour which I couldn’t manage to do. I decided to disappear from my boss to find safety, but after a few days, I was arrested by Jordan police and stayed behind bars for almost three months till Maama Melissa intervened and helped us back to Uganda,” she noted.
Although Nabateregga has passed through a lot, she still insists on going back abroad because she thinks she is doing nothing here. However, Grace Nabbale urged Ugandans, especially girls, not to attempt to have thoughts of moving abroad, more so to Arabian countries.
Najimeddin Hisham Najim, the owner of Muko Protection Agency, encouraged the public to follow rightful procedures while heading to any country, not only the Arabian countries.
“With the help of other partners like the government of the Republic of Uganda, Maama Melissa, and others, we will continue to strive to save Ugandan lives, especially those that pass through human abuse challenges, because Ugandan lives matter a lot,” he said.
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