My Money is My Blood, Do Not Waste It: A Critical Analysis of the Return and Reintegration Experiences of Ugandan Migrant Domestic Workers from Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The study analyzed the return and reintegration experiences of returnee Ugandan migrant domestic workers from Saudi Arabia. It was grounded in a social constructivism paradigm, an interpretive framework that emphasizes how individuals understand and assign meaning to their world. A qualitative approach was adopted, utilizing a phenomenological research design to explore the lived experiences of returnees. Data was collected through unstructured interviews with 28 respondents, allowing for in-depth insights into their experiences. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data, and concept maps created using NVivo version 10.0 were used to illustrate the findings. The study revealed that the return and reintegration journey for migrant domestic workers comprised three key phases: preparing to leave their employers' homes after the expiration of contracts, travelling back to Uganda, and reintegration into their communities. However, the research highlighted numerous challenges faced by returnees. Some employers forced workers to continue working under exploitative conditions, tantamount to slavery, by withholding their consent to leave. In other cases, employers failed to purchase the required return airline tickets, as stipulated by the bilateral labour agreement, in an effort to coerce workers into renewing their contracts against their will. Upon returning to Uganda, many returnees faced further hardships. They were often met with distressing revelations, such as discovering that the next of kin they had entrusted with their savings had misappropriated the funds. This financial exploitation, coupled with economic and social reintegration difficulties, led to significant psychosocial challenges for the returnees. To address these issues, the study recommends implementing measures to protect migrant domestic workers’ finances. For example, every worker should open a personal bank account where their wages and salaries can be securely deposited and saved, ensuring access to their funds upon return to ease reintegration challenges. Families and next of kin must be educated about the risks and consequences of misusing workers’ money, considering the harsh conditions under which these workers labour. Furthermore, local council members should enforce accountability by ensuring that family members who misuse returnees' funds reimburse the money, potentially with added interest, to deter financial exploitation.