The ransom
Well, this is strange; I am spending the New Year on my own for the first time since I left Eritrea. I am in Bradford in the UK right now. I came to the UK on 06 October, 2015, under the UK Gateway Protection Program. I am super happy that I am now in a relatively safe place. Also, the UK is the best place for me to pursue my dreams safely.
In Bradford, I live with a friend, Ristom Teklia. He travelled to London to spend the New Year with his aunty and her family. I could not travel with him because I started a new job with Priory Group in Keighley. I work as a key worker in a mental health hospital. I like my job and I am very happy that I got a job a few weeks after I arrived in the UK.
My second sister is held hostage by traffickers in Sudan. It’s almost a month since she was kidnapped by them. They are demanding $5,000 in ransom.
I tried to reach my family in Eritrea an hour ago, but I could not connect due to poor network. I called my sister, Rista, who now lives in Cairo though. My second sister is held hostage by traffickers in Sudan. It’s almost a month since she was kidnapped by them. They are demanding $5,000 in ransom. I cannot afford to pay the ransom. So I have no other choice but to borrow from friends and pay the traffickers. Now that I am working in a fulltime job, I can pay the money back.
I have to work tomorrow, so I am going to bed now. It’s 12:16 am right now.
Welcome, 2016!
