By Nenenji Mlangeni
WASHINGTON-(MaraviPost)-A Malawian woman who was trafficked to the US as a domestic worker has told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme she was “treated like a slave” by her employers.
Fainess Lipenga worked for diplomat Jane Kambalame at Malawi’s Washington embassy.
She told the BBC’s Kim Chakanetsa that for three years she was verbally abused, starved and forced to work in the family carpet cleaning business.
She eventually escaped and sued her employer.
In 2016, she was awarded $1.1m (£860,000) after a successful lawsuit against Ms Kambalame.
Her former employer denies the charges and has failed to pay the damages, which last month led the US to suspend visas for domestic workers for all Malawian diplomats.
