Zim students in Cyprus: The Nigerian guy I hooked up with paid my rentals, but not all for free as he demanded sex even when I was in class - Part 2

Case 2
When Thomas (names changed for fear of victimisation) was lured to study in Northern Cyprus, he thought his life would transform for the better.

He would finally get the education he had always dreamt of and fulfil his dreams of learning abroad.

Today, he says he is vulnerable and prone to exploitation due to deception tactics used by a Harare-based agency which dangled a juicy carrot at him and his parents.

When I secured a place, I paid $250 visa fees through the agency only to realise later that it costs $60.

I was told to pay an extra $300 for transport from the airport and after staying in Northern Cyprus I learned that universities provide a free shuttle for all its students. I could not recover my money from the agent, he said.

He said upon arrival in Cyprus, all hell broke loose.

Before leaving Zimbabwe his parents had been told to pay a deposit of $1 000 to the university, the minimum required to process a visa through the Turkish Embassy in Harare.

Once the visa was approved, our group of 20 left Zimbabwe for Northern Cyprus. I was happy to go there. We were all clad in branded T-shirts of the agency that facilitated our move to Northern Cyprus,”said Thomas.

Reality sunk in when he arrived in Northern Cyprus.

I was given between three days to one week to register and pay up annual fees. Four other students in our group were treated the same. Our fees were 5 000 Euros and this was not conveyed to my parents before I left the country.

This was my initial shock. We were thrown out of boarding facilities as we were not paid up.

We were told that we would only attend class and access dining facilities after paying up, Thomas added.

As a result, he and two other Zimbabweans looked for an apartment to rent as they sorted out the fees issue.

The rental facilities required six month’s advance payment. We did not know what to do. We looked for three more Zimbabweans so that we could split the rent. The landlord complained that we were too many. It was a difficult time and I thought of coming back home, he added.

He said he got a construction job, where he was paid a wage, but not enough to clear the debt he owed the university.

I borrowed money from a Nigerian loan shark. The debt has grown. He is holding on to my passport and will only return it when I repay the money and all the penalties, he said.

Case 3
When Rudo left home, she only had one dream, to get quality education.

Her move was facilitated by a local agency and she left Harare on a flight with six other students.

Upon arrival, we were told that the money we had paid was just a deposit to secure a place. We were given a few days to stay on campus as we sorted out the fees issue. After a week we were told to leave. They needed 7 000 Euros, she said.

Rudo says she came across female Zimbabwean students who had been affected by this before.

One of the ladies I will call Naomi told me the way to survive was to date rich Nigerian and Turkish Cypriots men. I had no choice, at some point I could not even afford sanitary pads. I would tear T-shirts which I used as pads. Jobs were hard to come by. I had to pay rent, eat and the university wanted their money. The Nigerian guy I hooked up with paid my rentals, but this was not all for free. He demanded sex even when I was in class. He would call me. Sometimes he would also pimp me, that’s how he recovered his money, she said.

She also said life was extremely hard, but she cannot come home as yet. She still owes her university money and they are holding on to her original academic certificates.

The Herald, Zimbabwe

To be continued