Becky, a beautiful and determined Ghanaian woman, first opened her beauty shop in Ablekuma, Accra in 2018. There, she specialized in hairstyling, makeup, and nail care. However, in 2021, she left Ghana in search of better opportunities abroad.
Her journey began even earlier—in 2014—when she first traveled to Kuwait to work as a housemaid. Becky’s motivation was simple: she wanted to support her younger siblings and prepare for a better future for her unborn children. However, she didn’t want to continue working as a housemaid. Determined to become a skilled worker, she learned hairdressing, makeup, and nail care, and used the certificates she earned to apply for a visa.
Eventually, she moved to Dubai through the help of a friend’s sister who owned a salon and needed workers. Becky was promised a salary equivalent to GHC 1,500, but things turned out differently. Before leaving Ghana, she paid GHC 4,000 for her flight ticket. She was later told her first month’s salary would not be paid, and the second month’s pay was reduced to just 700 dirhams after visa cost deductions.
To make matters worse, the salon owner didn’t allow Becky to bring her own food or supplies, and instead brought her own items to sell. As her visa neared expiration, the woman promised to switch her to a family visa, but later claimed she would rather send Becky back to Ghana. One night, she threw Becky out with just 700 dirhams and took away her passport.
Thankfully, some kind Ghanaians took her in. Becky couldn’t return to Ghana, having sold her shop and everything she owned to relocate. With the little money she had, and the help of a friend who gave her 400 dirhams, she found bed space and started job hunting. She landed a new salon job just two days before her visa expired.
However, her troubles didn’t end there. The salon owner reported her to the labor court, accusing her of running away after being brought to Dubai to work. Becky ended up in court for overstaying her visa. Thankfully, a kind woman helped pay her fines and arranged a new employment visa for her. Becky then worked for two years to repay this debt. She also came to Dubai with a man who bought her ticket but doubled the repayment amount, making life even more difficult.
She was earning 1,500 dirhams monthly, paying 600 dirhams for rent, food, court fines, and transport—leaving her with very little. She truly suffered.
Eventually, the old salon was sold, and Becky began working in a new one, managed by a Moroccan woman. She strongly advises against working under fellow Ghanaians abroad, as her worst experiences came from that arrangement. According to her, the only reason she has survived in the UAE is because she has a skilled trade.
Becky now lives in Ajman and is currently dating a Ghanaian, though they’re not yet married. She encourages young Ghanaian women to learn skilled jobs before traveling abroad, as it gives them better chances of survival.
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