BY: Elizabeth Davidson Campbell, Information Attaché Tehran\Iran
In 2019, three women left Sierra Leone for Kurdistan in Iraq in search of greener pastures. They eventually made it to Kurdistan after a long journey and became house maids working for almost two years. Their aim was to raise enough money and to increase their chances of making further travels, this time heading for Europe through Turkey. They had been linked to an agent in Tehran- Iran who goes by the name- Hassan with whom they were supposed to stay to facilitate transit. Hassan and the three ladies agreed on a $2, 000 deal each.
These Ladies got stuck at the border between Iran and Iraq when they could not get across to Hassan who was to pick them up somewhere around the border. With Hassan’s phone switched off, the ladies were attacked by thieves who carted away all that they had in their possession. They were later arrested and placed in cells for hours until they were officially handed over to IOM who worked with the Sierra Leone embassy in Tehran.
The Ambassador HE Alie Badara Kamara with other staff of the Embassy in Tehran played host to these Sierra Leoneans, and prepared the necessary documentations to facilitate their repatriation.
On bidding farewell to the ladies, HE Ambassador Alie Badara Kamara acknowledged that although Sierra Leone may have its fair share of global struggles yet he maintained that the chances of survival for the ladies are higher in Sierra Leone than elsewhere. This is not the first time the Sierra Leone Embassy in Iran is facilitating encountering such a situation. A 23 year old Mabinty Jabbie was rescued two months ago in similar conditions. The three Ladies are now in Freetown, Sierra Leone to be reunited with their families.