- Phelesia Ochieng left Kenya full of hope, looking for work in Saudi Arabia as a domestic worker to support her family
- What was meant to be his journey of redemption turned painful when he returned home blind, with no clear explanation from the doctors.
- When she got home, her children struggled to understand why their mother, who was healthy before she left, could no longer see
In the crowded streets of Soweto in Kayole, Nairobi, Phelesia Ochieng is now living a life she never imagined being blind.
Source: Youtube
Born in Kiambu as one of 10 siblings, Phelesia grew up in a family where education was very expensive and they could not afford it.
Why did Phelesia go to Saudia?
With limited opportunities and increased financial pressure, he began to dream of working abroad, hoping to change his family’s situation.
She told Mwangi Kriss that the opportunity came several years later, after she became a mother of two children and her marriage was difficult.
Her husband, who worked in the country Tanzaniahe was often absent, so he left her to bear the burden of raising their children alone.
It was during this difficult period that his friend introduced him to an agency recruiting domestic workers for work in Saudi Arabia. Determined to provide a better life, Phelesia took a hopeful step.
Did Phelesia’s sacrifices pay off?
While abroad, she worked hard, moving from house to house before being assigned to take care of an elderly woman.
It was a role he accepted wholeheartedly. “The daughters were happy that I was taking good care of their mother,” he remembered. “They used to inform me every time they visited me and thanked me for the good work.”
At home, his efforts began to bear fruit. He sent money to his sister regularly, instructing her to save every penny towards a dream close to his heart: building a house for his widowed father.
But as his contract came to an end, tensions began to rise. Her employer insisted that she extend her stay, but Phelesia remained steadfast in her decision to return home. He believes that his refusal took another turn.
Source: Youtube
How Phelesia became blind
One day, something unusual happened when he was given a glass of milk by his employer, something they never did.
However, he thought little of it at the time. Then, everything changed. One day after finishing her contract, Phelesia went to sleep, and when she woke up, her world had gone dark.
“When I woke up, all I saw was darkness,” he recalled while crying. “I thought it would end in a few days, but it didn’t.”
Returning home to Phelesia and pain
When the pain worsened, he was rushed to the hospital. But despite the urgency, doctors could not give a clear diagnosis or explain the sudden loss of his sight.
With no response or improvement, he was finally allowed to return to Kenya. His return home was far from the happy reunion he had envisioned.
Instead, it was expressed with confusion and sadness, especially for her young children, who could not understand why their mother could no longer see them.
Today, in Kayole, Phelesia is trying to rebuild her life, this time without sight, but with the same determination that once led her to cross borders in search of a better future.
Read ENGLISH VERSION
Do you have an exciting story that you would like us to publish? Please contact us via news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
