Kisii woman working in Saudi Arabia, Joyce Divinah, dies after final plea for help

ThekenyandiasporaJan 2, 2026Read original

A Kenyan woman’s desperate call for help from abroad ends in heartbreak, raising urgent questions about the welfare of migrant workers.

The woman from Kisii County, identified as Joyce Divinah, tragically died while working as a househelp in Saudi Arabia, just hours after making a distressing plea for medical assistance online on December 23, 2025.

Joyce had travelled to the Gulf nation in search of better economic opportunities. However, her dreams were cut short when she fell seriously ill and, in a TikTok Live video shared on social media, revealed that she was struggling to breathe and urgently needed medical attention.

In the livestream (which would become her final online appearance) Joyce said she was alone in her employer’s house at the time and, despite informing her employer about her deteriorating health, she had not been taken to a hospital. She described severe chest pain and breathing difficulties, pleading with viewers to help her.

“When I cough twice, I have to go to the washroom to vomit. Please help me. I have a problem. I am in pain,” she said during the broadcast.

Tragically, Joyce passed away just a day after the livestream, prompting an outpouring of grief and shock among Kenyans who had followed her story online.

Reports indicate that her employer later took her to a hospital, but she died while receiving treatment.

Joyce’s death has stirred deep emotions across social platforms, with many Kenyans expressing sadness and frustration at what they see as another avoidable loss in a long list of Kenyan migrant worker tragedies abroad.

Concerns were raised about the safety, medical access, and overall welfare of Kenyan domestic workers in the Middle East (particularly in Saudi Arabia) where numerous cases of illness, abuse, and deaths among Kenyan workers have been reported over the years.

According to Kenyan officials and rights groups, dozens of Kenyans (especially women employed as domestic workers) have died in Saudi Arabia under circumstances that many families and advocates describe as “suspicious,” often without independent investigations or clear accountability.

Joyce’s passing adds to mounting calls for stronger protections for Kenyan migrant workers abroad. Advocates say there is an urgent need for better government oversight, improved legal safeguards, and more robust emergency medical support for citizens working overseas.