Meet the Ghanaian woman who travelled to Holland by land

Many have we heard of stories pertaining people who trek to Lybia through the desert and other horrifying experiences on such adventures. But the story of 42-year-old Mavis Akose has interesting excerpts that are worth highlighting for didactic purposes.

Akose (Short form of Akosua, an Akan female born on Sunday) is a native of Asante Bekwai who attained her education at Ohwimase Kwadaso all in the Ashanti Region.

After her dad lost his job as a filling station manager as a victim of theft, she relocated to Buokrom in Kumasi to settle with her mother. Unfortunately, her stepfather wanted to lie with her which made her fled to reside with her sister upon her grandmother’s advice.

One charge followed the other until her things were thrown out one day at her sister’s abode and called for her arrest by the police upon returning from town one day. She used her last money to pick a bus (STC) to Accra and decided to work and fend for herself without becoming a burden to anybody (in the year 1999).

After meeting a Whiteman who offered her a waitress job at Labadi Beach Hotel, Mavis worked at Papaye – Osu branch –before getting another job at Golden Tulip.

Narrating her adventure on the Smart Show Monday, June 21, 2021, Mavis said she never expected help was coming her way from a relative.

“…so whilst working at Golden Tulip, a relative –my aunt, asked me if I would love to travel abroad. And I said ‘what kind of question is this?’. I said yes. After asking me to submit my two passport sized pictures, I they called me to come and sleep there (a place they took me earlier where there were many ladies. My instincts told me those ladies are sent to Europe and sold)”

From Ghana to Abidjan, Morocco

“We sat in an STC bus and I asked myself how possible it was to travel to Europe on a bus. We headed towards Abidjan but as someone who works at Golden Tulip, I know where the planes pass to Europe. Unfortunately, I didn’t ask any questions.”

“We eventually got to Abidjan, slept there and continued to Bamako and then to Morocco,” she narrated.

Mavis added they were sneaking themselves through the bush to cross the borders to meet their bus because their leaders didn’t want to pay money. At a point, the immigration at one of the borders delayed her because didn’t want her to go. She said she heard them discussing (even though she didn’t understand the language, she felt that was their topic) how pretty she looked.

After spending some days at a town in Morroco called Tanja, Mavis said “12 of us left when were leaving because my passport had been changed to a man’s name. I told them I won’t go anymore”

Journeying through Algeria to Madrid

“One man then spoke to the driver to take me from Tanja to another place. We passed through some hilly areas and I realised later that we passed through Algeria”

“When the immigration officer who was assisting at the border was confirming if I was the image on the passport (one with a male’s name and image), his boss was picking something on the ground and said ‘let her go, let her go’ and I boarded a boat to Madrid and those who were supposed to pick me up didn’t show up”

Mavis furthered her account that she was taken to a certain house the next day where plenty of naked women were. These women she said were naked because they worked on cocaine and needed to be naked in order not to smuggle some.

From Madrid to France

She was taken to France from Madrid the next day and her aunt, who took her there said she’ll be responsible for paying for her utilities and food even though she was not working then.

From France to Holland through Belgium

Akose then indicated she was taken to Belgium later and left in front of a Ghana shop where she was picked home the best day.

“They took me to a storey building and said said they’ve gotten a job for me in Holland. And what they did was to blindfold me and drive zigzag for me not to be able to trace back. In Holland, they wanted me to do prostitution and there was a woman called Grace who saved me. But unfortunately, I never saw her to thank her,” she added.

“According to my aunt, sending me abroad was to cost me $40,000.00 but they gave me $10,000.00 discount because I’m a relative and no work in Holland can make me repay that amount except prostitution. And I told them I’m a caterer and that’s what I can do so if they can give me a job like that, I’ll do it”

“My aunt excused herself to make a phone call and that was when the woman (Grace) told me to flee the prostitution centre because what they do is human trafficking. The woman asked me to run towards the police when I see them instead of running away even though I had no papers. The woman had said if I decide not to work,they’ll send me back to Ghana with the available flight. I said okay because I already wanted to come back home. But the woman (Grace) said they’ll put me Inna bus so I should run”

After refusing the work nor accepting to return to Ghana, Mavis said “they took all my papers and left me there after raining curses upon curses on me”

Settling in Holland to make a family

“Whilst on the streets of Holland that night, a tall white man came over and questioned me and surprisingly took me home. He actually helped me a lot. Enrolled me to school and now I can speak Dutch very well and through that, I became a teacher there. I left him after three years because he was into a lot of other women even though he was a good man and that was when I met someone and got married to”

Mavis noted she had 5 children with the man but lost one unfortunately, remaining four now – three girls and a boy.

After spending two months on the road before getting abroad without taking her bath for three days sometimes, Mavis’ advice to young Ghanaians is to hold on to whatever they’re doing well because it is not easy making it out there.

She’s currently single in search for a partner.

Source: Ghanasonline.com