Untold Stories of Migration

Untold Stories of Migration

MIGRATION – AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A BETTER LIFE? OR A PERFECT BAIT TO EXPLOIT HUMANS?

This is the story of *Ban, who is one such victim of human trafficking. Born into a poor household, Ban’s family always struggled to put food on the table. After many years of struggling, Ban was forced to sell her house to keep herself and her young daughter alive. The money would have been able to sustain them for a while. Yet, this lifeline was taken away by an acquaintance who conned Ban of her money.

“In Saudi Arabia, I was sick without any treatment. After that ordeal, I was overwhelmed by bitterness. HAGAR helped me cope with the stress I was facing and also took care of my daughter. Now that I have stop recalling the time in Saudi Arabia, I can focus on the present and take care of my daughter."

Penniless and without a sustainable income, Ban had no choice but to leave Vietnam to work, hoping this new opportunity abroad would mark a new change for her. However, all hopes turned to dust when she realised she was trafficked to Saudi Arabia for labour exploitation. That was not the worst of it all; Ban had to bear the brunt of violence from her traffickers. These left her with serious physical and emotional wounds; injuries that took a long journey to heal. Ban was trapped in this cycle of abuse until she finally escaped, after many failed attempts.

Ban was able to return back home to Vietnam but that was not the end of her ordeal.

The trauma she suffered haunted her continually and deeply affected her. She was unable to integrate well into the Vietnamese community and also struggled to care for her young daughter. To make matters worse, Ban was not able to find a job to sustain herself after losing her personal identification and having suffered many physical injuries when she was trafficked.

Helpless and filled with resentment, Ban reached out to HAGAR for help. Healing began as Ban received medical treatment and psychological counselling. Understanding the role of community in recovery, HAGAR also helped Ban to rebuild her family bonds. After a year’s journey, Ban and her little daughter managed to rebuild their lives.

“HAGAR is always in my heart and accompanying me to overcome difficulties. I could never have come this far and be able to take care of my child without the enthusiastic help from HAGAR's staff. I will always remember and be grateful to HAGAR for the rest of my life.”

Today, Ban works as a vegetable seller in the market. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has severely impacted the business of the sole breadwinner. Ban’s poor health condition has also made it hard for her to find a new job. HAGAR is currently providing her with emergency support to tide through this difficult period. Your gift of employment will support many survivors of human trafficking like Ban, who have lost their jobs due to the global pandemic.

*HAGAR pursues the highest degree of care and protection for each of our clients. To protect the identity of our clients, names have been changed and pictures do not necessarily represent the individual profiled.