By Hsu Latt Phyu - Apr 19, 2025
Ma Thin Myat Thu, a resident of Nyaungdon, Ayeyarwady Region, holding the national registration number 14/NATANA(N)******, contacted a local agent located at Thitsar 6 Street, Ward 39, North Dagon Township through my sister’s connection to go to Oman.
The agent said that travel to Oman would be arranged under a debt system, a salary of 110 Omani Rial would be provided, Wi-Fi access would be available, the work contract would be for two years, and the debt would be repaid within three months. However, no contract was signed, and no documents were officially acknowledged or signed.
After this discussion with the agent, I departed Yangon on 19th October 2024, flew to Tachileik, and then traveled to Thailand by car before reaching Oman in October 2024.
On 22nd October, I started working at a household.
Initially, they said the family only had four members, but after arriving, there were seven family members in a three-story house, with no Wi-Fi. I had to do all the household chores for seven people, including babysitting, cooking, and cleaning. I collapsed from exhaustion after working there for about two weeks and was returned to the Myanmar agent's office in Oman.
The cause of my collapse was excessive work hours—from 5 AM to 2 AM—and only four hours of sleep per day, along with inadequate food. After briefly resting at the office, I was sent back to the same household and forced to work again. Although I tried to continue, the workload was again too much for me, and when I said I wanted to quit, the employer kicked me out of the house without shoes or phone. I apologized and re-entered the house.
They forced me to continue working and called the agent office. The agent instructed me to continue working there. They said I was working too slowly and two younger ladies together physically abused me. I was locked in a room after three days. I became unable to walk and was sent back to the agent’s office.
After staying at the office for about three days, the agent sent me to another house. I stayed there for over a month, but the employer sent me back to the office due to my health and poor eyesight. After reaching the office, the agent sent me again to another house. I was sent back again due to my worsening health condition. My phone was confiscated when I returned to the office. I couldn’t contact my family, and when I requested to have my phone back, they refused and there was conflict. After four more days, my phone was returned.
From the first house, I experienced excessive work hours, physical assault, and lack of proper food. In the next two houses, I was repeatedly returned to the agent office due to poor health. Since I am now in no condition to continue working, the agent is threatening me by saying that I must pay 115 lakhs MMK if I want to return to Myanmar.
In fact, I was born in 2007 and would only turn 18 in September. When I said I wasn’t yet 18 before going to Oman, the agent said they would “adjust” my age. They provided a household registration certificate with the name Ma Thin Myat Thu, registered in Nyaungdon, Ayeyarwady Region, and used that to send me to Oman. At present, I am allowed to rest for seven days and am staying at the agent’s dormitory since it is Eid holiday. I am staying in the place they provide and must pay for internet myself. For food, I am served rotting tomatos. I am extremely afraid that when the holidays end and I may be employed to a rapist’s house. Previous girls sent there were verbally abused, became mentally unstable, and had to return to Myanmar.
I am not able to continue working since my health is in very poor condition. The agent knows I am unwell, and I will be sent back again even if I am sent to another house. Therefore, the agent is insisting that I must pay 115 lakhs MMK if I want to return to Myanmar. As I cannot afford that amount and I am not in a state to continue working due to health reasons, I humbly request assistance.
I wish to return to Myanmar as I am in poor health and no longer able to work. I am currently facing hardship because I cannot afford to pay the more than 10 million kyats demanded by the agent.
Assistance seeker - Ma Thin Myat Thu
Photo – Agent
