The Heartbreaking Journey of a Kenyan Mother in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

The plight of single mothers in Saudi Arabia is an often-overlooked issue, yet it is a reality that shapes the lives of many women and their children across the globe. Edith Ingasiani's story is a poignant reminder of their struggles and the lengths to which a mother will go to protect her child. Stranded in Saudi Arabia for years, she fought against daunting systemic barriers to rejoin her little girl in Kenya.

The Beginning of a Long Journey

As the sun began to rise over Riyadh, Edith felt the first pangs of labor, a stark contrast to the oppressive atmosphere that surrounded her. Pregnant and alone in a foreign land, she had hidden her condition from her employers. The risk of being discovered as an unmarried mother loomed large, a specter of potential imprisonment that many women in her situation face.

“Home is always the answer,” she once told her daughter, a testament to the fierce love and hope she harbored.

Life as an Unmarried Mother in Saudi Arabia

Edith, like many Kenyan women, originally traveled to Saudi Arabia seeking opportunities to support her family back home. However, she quickly became ensnared in a web of exploitation: unpaid wages, threats, and the knowledge that her status as an unwed mother would mark her and her child for a life of marginalization.

The Birth of Blessings

After laboring alone, Edith welcomed her daughter, Blessings, into a world fraught with uncertainty. In Saudi Arabia, a child born out of wedlock is often stigmatized and stripped of legitimate identity papers, complicating even the simplest of tasks like traveling.

“We are far from home. I want you to be a blessing,” she whispered as she cradled her newborn, desperate to impart hope onto her child.

Edith's Plan to Return Home

Leaving her first two children in Kenya to seek a safer life for her family, Edith's goal was to return home eventually and provide a better life for all her children. However, the realities of being an undocumented immigrant in Saudi Arabia complicated her aspirations.

• Austria's red tapes illustrate the legal barriers that often prevent mothers from reclaiming their children.
• The risk of exploitation faced by unwed mothers highlights a perilous system that takes advantage of vulnerable women.

A Mother's Resilience: Navigating Bureaucracy

In April 2023, Edith found herself at the Kenyan Embassy with Blessings in tow, desperate to return home. However, she quickly faced the cold reality of bureaucratic red tape: without a proper birth certificate, she was trapped.

“You have a child. You can't go,” an embassy worker's words echoed in her mind, a heartbreaking reminder of the system's indifference.

The Fight for Blessings' Birth Certificate

Frustrated but undeterred, Edith devised a series of plans to escape with her child, including fraudulently attempting to get deported. But the hurdles seemed insurmountable. The Saudi authorities' reluctance to process unregistered children only compounded her difficulties, making even the simple act of trying to escape feel like an uphill battle.

Unanswered Questions

The Kenyan government claimed to support its citizens abroad, but Edith's experience painted a different picture. Although they instituted DNA tests to help prove maternity, delays left her and many others in limbo, unsure of how long their struggles would last.

Hope and Desperation

In November 2023, desperate mothers like Edith flocked to the embassy in hopes of securing a way out. Standing in line for hours with her child, she desperately clutched Blessings, her symbolic link to hope.

Finally, a decision was made: a birth certificate could be issued — but only after additional fees were collected. Unwilling to let her only chance slip away, Edith complied, unsure if she was unwittingly succumbing to extortion.

A Long-Awaited Escape

After two grueling years in the bureaucracy, the stamp that allowed them to leave finally came. On June 7, as the city celebrated Eid al-Adha, they flew back home — a journey marked not only by struggle but by the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child.

Back to Reality in Kenya

Returning to Kenya, however, came with its own challenges. Their home was modest, lacking the financial stability that Edith had hoped to establish through her sacrifices abroad. The dream of providing her children with a better life, the promise she had made, now felt distant compared to the harsh new reality she faced.

Conclusion: A Mother's Perseverance

Edith's journey illustrates the broader narrative of many single mothers caught in the complexities of global migration — a story interwoven with sacrifice, bureaucracy, and unyielding love.