An offer from a friend to help 23-year-old Dennis Araka find a job in Qatar in the Middle East and relieve his family out of poverty appeared to have been a ticket to hell.
For his father Jones Mokua and mother Mary Moraa, who live in Rigoma, Nyamira County, the offer was unbelievably exciting.
The idea was so good that they sold all the family’s assets to ensure their son has secured an air ticket to the Middle East.
The short notice of less than a month to prepare their son to go to Qatar for the job meant they sacrificed all that they had, including selling part of the family land, borrow bank loans and borrow money from well-wishers to raise Sh250,000.
They sacrificed everything, believing Araka will make enough money to enrich the family and clear their debts.
His last phone conversation with his brother David Onduso and mother was on October 19, 2018.
“He had been calling to inquire about the family’s whereabouts. But the last call he made was long because he informed us he had landed a job and that in a week’s time, he would start sending money back home,” Onduso said.
His mother Moraa added, “The excitement of a better life after our son settles in Qatar would not let us spare anything to facilitate his travel.”
His family received the news on October 22, 2018.
Araka’s body is still in Qatar.
The news was broken by a woman who lives in Keumbu, Kisii County. Moraa said the woman had little information on what happened to Araka.
“To this date we do not know anything about the death … we were only told he fell into a drainage system and died before he could be rescued.”
Family spokesman John Mokua said they are appealing to the national government to help them get information on the death.
“We just don’t know who to approach for the information,” Mokua said.
