A Kenyan mother’s dream of escaping poverty and securing a brighter future for her child has turned into a heartbreaking nightmare after she allegedly lost her entire life savings to fraudsters who promised to cure her mysterious skin condition.
Alice Wangari Mwangi, a mother from Olchoro Orok in Nyandarua County, reportedly lost approximately KSh 1.3 million after falling victim to individuals who claimed to possess extraordinary healing powers. The money represented years of sacrifice, hard work and careful saving while working thousands of kilometres away from home in Qatar.
Alice had travelled to the Gulf country in 2021 with one major ambition: to earn enough money to support her son, acquire a piece of land and eventually build a decent home for her family.
For four years, she worked as a househelp, earning between KSh 35,000 and KSh 40,000 monthly. On some occasions, her income increased to approximately KSh 50,000 when she received tips from her employers.
Despite the challenges of working abroad, Alice remained disciplined with her finances. She reportedly managed to save approximately KSh 1.5 million by 2023, bringing her closer to achieving the dreams that had motivated her to leave Kenya.
However, everything began falling apart when she developed a persistent fungal skin infection that caused severe itching around her stomach, back and thighs.
Determined to recover, Alice sought medical attention at hospitals in Qatar and followed the prescribed treatment. Unfortunately, her condition refused to disappear despite completing the medication.
Frustrated, uncomfortable and desperate for a solution, she turned to YouTube in search of alternative treatment.
What appeared to be an innocent search for healing allegedly opened the door to a devastating financial trap.
Alice reportedly came across several individuals who claimed they could cure her condition through spiritual interventions. One of the men allegedly convinced her that her illness was not a medical problem but the result of witchcraft.
He reportedly demanded money to perform rituals that would supposedly remove the alleged curse and restore her health.
But the situation became even more terrifying when the man allegedly sent Alice a video showing her son’s photograph inside a pot.
He reportedly warned her that her child would die on a particular date if she failed to pay the required amount.
For a mother living thousands of kilometres away from her child, the threat was deeply frightening. Faced with the possibility of losing her son, Alice allegedly began sending money through M-Pesa, hoping to protect him from the threatened danger.
According to her account, approximately KSh 835,000 was transferred to the man. Other individuals allegedly joined the scheme, demanding additional payments under different explanations.
She reportedly sent KSh 25,000 to one individual, KSh 73,000 to another and KSh 80,000 to a woman who claimed that her own child was unwell.
As the demands continued, her hard-earned savings gradually disappeared. By the time she realised the extent of the deception, she had allegedly lost approximately KSh 1.3 million.
The money she had spent years accumulating through domestic work abroad was gone.
Alice eventually returned to Kenya on April 24, 2025, but instead of coming home with the financial security she had hoped to provide for her family, she arrived facing uncertainty, financial distress and an unresolved medical condition.
Determined to seek justice, she reported the matter at Kasarani Police Station in Nairobi.
Detectives reportedly helped her organise a sting operation targeting one of the suspects. Alice allegedly pretended to need his assistance in purchasing a vehicle for an Uber business in Mombasa, creating an opportunity to arrange a physical meeting.
The suspect reportedly arrived at TRM Mall expecting to receive another payment, unaware that the meeting had been arranged with the assistance of investigators.
He was subsequently arrested and remains in remand as the case proceeds.
Sadly, Alice’s troubles have not ended with the arrest. She is still struggling with the skin infection and cannot consistently afford the medication required to manage her condition.
Her son’s education has also been affected. The boy has reportedly been unable to proceed to Grade 10 because of outstanding school fees amounting to approximately KSh 40,000.
For Alice, the pain goes beyond losing money. It is the disappointment of watching years of sacrifice disappear while her family continues struggling with the very challenges she had travelled abroad to overcome.
She is now appealing to well-wishers for medical assistance, financial support and justice as she attempts to rebuild her life.
Her experience is also a painful reminder of how desperate circumstances can make people vulnerable to individuals who exploit their fears, especially when their children and loved ones are used as tools of intimidation.
What began as a search for a cure allegedly ended with the loss of millions of shillings, leaving a hardworking mother fighting to regain her health, restore her finances and secure her son’s future.
