In the bustling streets of Egypt, far away from home, lies a tale of hardship and despair endured by Rukayat Hassan, an Osun State native whose desperate plea for help echoes with urgency.

Plagued by illness and stranded due to expired documents, Rukayat finds herself in a dire situation, far from home and in urgent need of assistance.

“I was brought in with 4% blood left in my system. The doctor said I was a working dead. I couldn’t take care of myself… I am stranded here, sick and with expired documents,” lamented the ailing Rukayat Hassan during an emotional conversation with TRIBUNE ONLINE in a video chat.

Rukayat had relocated to Egypt seeking work opportunities but faced an unfortunate turn of events when her passport expired, leaving her unable to renew it due to financial constraints.

Bleeding for years in a foreign land, Hassan finds herself in a desperate situation, in need of immediate financial assistance to return to her home country.

In search of bliss

“I decided to travel abroad in order to make it in life. I didn’t know it would be like this. It started in my first year in Egypt. I started a heavy flow in my menstruation. I could see the blood for a month.”

Rukayat said she told her ‘Madam’ guidance who prepared her travel document on the agreement that she could work for two years in Egypt to refund, about the flow but was not attended to for two years.

Sharing her ordeal, Hassan revealed, “This Madam got me to Egypt under the agreement that I would pay her back for two years. But I started bleeding heavily when I got to Egypt. I told Madam about this, and she didn’t show concern.”

Her health deteriorated rapidly, aggravated by her employer’s indifference towards her condition. “She removed my money the only time she took me to a pharmacy. Sometimes I couldn’t complete my months due to heavy flow. She will collect my proceeds but will not record it for me. Those months are a bonus,” Rukayat recounted, detailing her struggles.

Amidst her dire circumstances, Hassan encountered a severe health crisis that necessitated urgent medical attention. “Some people helped to source funds for my operation. I was administered eight pints of blood immediately because the Doctor said I only had four per cent of blood left in my system,” she shared, highlighting the criticality of her medical needs.

The Odyssey, Rukayat issued Emergency Travel Certificate

Some document made available to TRIBUNE ONLINE shows that Rukayat’s passport has expired but was issued an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) by the Nigerian Embassy in Egypt due to her derogatory health on 12th of July, 2023 and expired on 11th of October.

Another Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) was also re-issued which will expire on the 10th of January 2024.

Compounded by the looming cost of overstaying, Rukayat faces an uphill battle to secure the necessary funds, estimated at approximately 10,000 pounds, to cover her overstay expenses and obtain a repatriation ticket from Egypt.

Expressing the urgency of her situation, Rukayat earnestly appeals to the compassion of Nigerians, pleading for assistance to facilitate her return home and access vital medical care.

“I am stranded, sick, and without means. I implore kind-hearted Nigerians to help me get back home and receive the medical attention I urgently need,” she appealed with teary eyes.

Rukayat Hassan’s plight serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by Nigerians abroad, urging collective support and empathy towards those in vulnerable situations, emphasising the crucial role of community solidarity in times of distress. (Nigerian Tribune)

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