Many Gambian women headed to Saudi Arabia to work in homes as part of growing friendships between the two countries. The Gambian government agreed to send workers to Saudi Arabia during a meeting at the Africa-Arab Summit last year. One local company called Outsource Recruitment Agency helped 25 women travel there in February. They sent four more women just last week.
Saudi Arabia used to hire mostly Asian workers from places like the Philippines. Recently, they have started looking more toward African countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and The Gambia. Saudi families need lots of house staff, such as maids, nannies, and drivers. These domestic workers make up more than 25% of all workers in Saudi Arabia.
The government says domestic workers will earn $200 each month to start. Many people say this pay is way too small and might lead to bad treatment. Two companies signed up thousands of interested Gambians. Gambjobs Limited registered 8,139 people, and Outsource signed up 1,335. Only 22 people actually got their visas. Another 95 applications sit waiting in a Saudi digital system called Musaned.
Human rights groups like Amnesty International criticize Saudi Arabia for how it treats foreign workers. The problem stems from their kafala system, which gives employers huge control over workers. This often blocks workers from leaving jobs, holds back pay, and creates awful conditions. Uganda and the Philippines once stopped sending workers there but later changed their minds after talks.
Most Gambians want to leave their country anyway. A survey shows almost 70% of people hope to move somewhere else because of money problems. Money sent home by Gambians working abroad matters a lot. It brings in more cash than tourism does. These payments from overseas make up 32% of the entire country's money. This explains why many want these jobs despite the risks.
Saudi Arabia used to hire mostly Asian workers from places like the Philippines. Recently, they have started looking more toward African countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and The Gambia. Saudi families need lots of house staff, such as maids, nannies, and drivers. These domestic workers make up more than 25% of all workers in Saudi Arabia.
The government says domestic workers will earn $200 each month to start. Many people say this pay is way too small and might lead to bad treatment. Two companies signed up thousands of interested Gambians. Gambjobs Limited registered 8,139 people, and Outsource signed up 1,335. Only 22 people actually got their visas. Another 95 applications sit waiting in a Saudi digital system called Musaned.
Human rights groups like Amnesty International criticize Saudi Arabia for how it treats foreign workers. The problem stems from their kafala system, which gives employers huge control over workers. This often blocks workers from leaving jobs, holds back pay, and creates awful conditions. Uganda and the Philippines once stopped sending workers there but later changed their minds after talks.
Most Gambians want to leave their country anyway. A survey shows almost 70% of people hope to move somewhere else because of money problems. Money sent home by Gambians working abroad matters a lot. It brings in more cash than tourism does. These payments from overseas make up 32% of the entire country's money. This explains why many want these jobs despite the risks.
