The Hidden Face of Human Trafficking : The Silent Suffering of Zimbabwean Women

By Kudakwashe Emma-Louise Zihonye

When Nokutenda (26) finally held her passport again after nine long months, her hands trembled not from fear but from the overwhelming weight of freedom.

Getting a well-paying job as a waiter at a hotel in Dubai had been dream come true.

Considering the high rate of unemployment in Zimbabwe, she hoped she would finally be able to provide for herself and her mother.

The day she left the country,the airport buzzed with families saying their goodbyes, suitcases rolling across the floor, and the scent of anticipation thick in the air. Nokutenda clutched her passport like a lifeline, her heart beating fast as she imagined a new life in Dubai. She did not  know then that the journey ahead would lead her far from the promises she had been sold and even further from freedom.

“Back in 2022, I went to the airport jovial, excited for the once in a lifetime opportunity to finally leave the country for greener pastures. All my travelling costs were catered for by this company. I only had to pay 200 US dollars for my medical examinations,” she said.

Noku met the agent who was supposed to secure a job for her through a trusted neighbour. It was easy to trust her because they already knew each other. The neighbour gave her the contacts of a Nigerian man, the agent who later cemented all the job requirements.

Promised a salary of US$1,400, she could not resist the offer. She also did not tell friends and extended family about the intended migration because that is basically what many other Zimbabweans do before travelling, they move in secret until it is done.

Over the past two decades, Zimbabwe has experienced macroeconomic challenges and witnessed multiple and complex migration patterns characterised by high levels of cross border mobility, brain drain, and human trafficking.

The International Organization for Migration estimates that the Zimbabwean diaspora is roughly three million individuals, with a huge number in South Africa and the United Kingdom due to economic collapse and unemployment. Many migrate seeking better livelihoods, education, and stability.

Noku’s documentation was done for her by the Nigerian agent, and to her surprise, it was really quick, it took less than two days and her visa was sent to her. However, the problem began when she landed in Oman instead of Dubai.

“I received my visa really quickly, which I thought was for Dubai. However, it was written in Arabic. I could only see one word, Mascat, and I thought this was the city I was going to work in, in Dubai. It only clicked that we were tricked when we arrived in Oman and found out there was no hotel. I had been brought to work as a maid at a three storey house with nearly 40 family members, and I was the only maid.”

“My passport was taken on arrival. That is the moment I realised I had been misled. I was injected with some medicine I do not know to this day. I was given to my new master, who informed me that I owed her all the money she used for my travel expenses. Because of that, I was not going to get any pay for two years. I had to start wearing covering clothes. I started working like a donkey, cleaning, washing, carrying heavy stuff like flour to the third floor with no rest. I got really sick but received no medical attention.”

Human trafficking in Zimbabwe manifests in various ways, including through fraudulent job offers. Traffickers often entice victims with international employment opportunities, promising salaries from US$800 to US$1,500 per month for domestic work in countries such as Oman and Kuwait. However, upon arrival, many women realise they have been trapped by human trafficking syndicates.

In 2022, the Zimbabwean government learnt that about 200 of its female citizens had been trafficked after falling prey to these schemes. Efforts were made to assist the women, but only 105 were rescued and repatriated home.

One of the women who was also misled through a job offer is 34 year old Charity. She was approached by a lady through an advert she saw on social media and was assured she had gotten a decent role as a domestic worker in Oman, which would reward her US$800 every month.

“I knew this was a domestic work job in Oman, but I did not know the horrors that would unfold. All I wanted was to take care of my children back home, but during the nine months I was there, I did not receive any payment. It was just painful work, including taking care of domestic animals like cattle and goats,” she said.

“I rarely had anything to eat, I would eat leftovers. I was overworked, and they told me they could not pay me because I had to repay them for all the costs they covered. I slept in a tiny isolated room at the back of the house. All the seven months I spent there were just torture, and I came back with nothing.”

Charity escaped the house by jumping over a huge durawall when she heard on social media that a Zimbabwean envoy was in the country to rescue enslaved women in Oman.

The U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report for Zimbabwe states that in 2025, Zimbabwe was again placed on the Tier 2 Watch List, indicating that while the country has taken some steps to address the issue, it has not shown significant progress compared to previous years. This suggests that either the problem remains at similar levels or that reported cases have not dropped.

Many trafficking cases go unreported or undetected, especially those involving undocumented migration, domestic servitude, or remote rural areas.

Noku could not escape her captors. When they heard of a Zimbabwean envoy that had come to rescue enslaved women, they moved her to another neighbouring country where their relatives stayed so that she could not run away. She only managed to get away when she lied that her mother had passed on.

“I had to fake mourning so they could let me go. I cried like I had never done before, refused to eat or do anything. Then they said they would release me on the condition that my family back home would buy the plane tickets, including return tickets, so they would be assured I would return. My mother had to sell a herd of cattle for my return. I came back with nothing. It was just my frail body and a purse when I arrived at Robert Mugabe Airport after working nine good months without any pay. I was hurt but relieved to be back home,” she said.

Her story is not just a tragedy, it is a call for governments to strengthen protections so no one else disappears into silence.
Zimbabwe’s Trafficking in Persons Act [Chapter 9:25] defines human trafficking as the recruitment, transport, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people through force, threats, deception, abuse of power or payments for exploitation. It applies to both adults and children, within or outside the country, and also criminalises related acts like facilitating trafficking or using false travel documents.

Tadiwa Marengo, the Programmes Coordinator at the Centre for Combating Human Trafficking, said addressing human trafficking in Zimbabwe requires a multi-faceted approach that involves strengthening laws like the Anti Trafficking in Persons Act of 2014.

“To start, the Zimbabwean government should review and update existing laws to ensure they are comprehensive and aligned with international standards, while also increasing penalties for traffickers. Law enforcement agencies should be trained and resourced to effectively identify and prosecute cases,” he said.

“Public awareness campaigns should educate communities about the risks of human trafficking, particularly targeting vulnerable groups. Collaboration with media outlets can also help spread information about human trafficking and its consequences. Furthermore, identifying and supporting high risk groups, such as those in poverty or with limited education, is crucial. Providing economic opportunities through vocational training, job placement services, and empowerment programs can reduce vulnerability.”

More women continue to fall prey to traffickers, disappearing into foreign households where exploitation goes unnoticed and unreported.

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