Teen's menstrual emergency saves her from alleged Russia trafficking scheme

BULAWAYO - An 18-year-old Zimbabwean woman says a medical emergency at a Polish border post may have saved her from what she believes was a human trafficking scheme that lured young Southern African women to Russia with promises of jobs and scholarships.

The teenager, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons and is being referred to as "Thandie", claims she was part of a group of nine young women travelling to Russia through Poland in May this year when she was stopped by border authorities after suffering severe menstrual bleeding.

Her removal from the group resulted in her deportation, while the remaining eight women reportedly continued their journey into Russia.

Thandie told this publication that she was introduced to the opportunity through an acquaintance of her aunt who had allegedly travelled to Russia earlier under the same programme.

"She sent me a link and said there is a programme in Russia where girls can get jobs and scholarships. She said it pays well, and I was desperate after finishing school," Thandie said.

The teenager said she and her younger brother were orphaned at a young age and had been raised by relatives, making overseas employment opportunities particularly attractive.

"My young brother and I were orphaned when we were just 13 and 8 years old respectively. We grew up in the custody of our aunt. Poverty and the need to survive forced me to consider any opportunity that seemed genuine," she said.

According to her account, the group travelled from Zimbabwe into South Africa before proceeding through several locations en route to Europe.

She claimed organisers funded transport, accommodation and daily expenses throughout the journey.

"We stayed in hotels and Airbnb accommodation. Money was always available and our group leaders handled most of the transactions," she said.

However, she said concerns emerged after arriving in Europe, where she began suffering severe menstrual complications.

"It was when we got close to the border that I realised something was wrong. The bleeding became worse and I was in pain. Border officials noticed my condition," she said.

According to Thandie, Polish officials prevented her from continuing and she was subsequently deported.

"I survived because of that bleeding. I left the others behind. They continued their journey," she said.

She alleges that after her return she received messages from some members of the group indicating they had been deceived about the nature of the programme.

One message allegedly stated: "We have been tricked, conned and arrived, but we are in the greatest hell of our lifetime."

The programme in question has been identified as Alabuga Start, a recruitment initiative that has previously attracted international scrutiny over allegations concerning the recruitment of young African women.

Thandie claims conversations with individuals already working in Russia included complaints about long working hours, poor living conditions and the confiscation of travel documents.

"She talked about not having access to basic necessities and about people working long hours under difficult conditions," she said.

The teenager further alleged that recruitment happened rapidly. After submitting personal details and documentation online, she said she was notified within days that she had been accepted.

She claimed the group was instructed on how to travel and was allegedly coached to present themselves as tourists.

An anti-trafficking expert familiar with such cases, who requested anonymity, said the allegations contained several indicators commonly associated with human trafficking, including recruitment through deception, organised transportation and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

The claims could not be independently verified, and the identities of the alleged recruiters have not been publicly disclosed.

Authorities in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana had reportedly been informed of the matter, while concerns have been raised about the whereabouts and welfare of the remaining women who travelled on to Russia.

Human trafficking remains a significant concern across Southern Africa, with authorities regularly warning young job seekers about fraudulent recruitment schemes that promise lucrative opportunities abroad.

Government recently issued a national alert warning citizens about deceptive international recruitment networks targeting vulnerable job seekers with promises of employment, scholarships and work opportunities in foreign countries.

Thandie's family is now appealing for assistance in establishing the whereabouts of the women who continued their journey.

"I survived because of my period. It saved my life," she said. "But I worry every day about the others."