“They aren’t real jobs; They are traps”

“They aren’t real jobs; They are traps”

…Zambian CSOs call on govt to probe Alabuga Start programme as Botswana’s Interpol moves in

By Richard Lamu

Right next door, in Botswana, Interpol has commenced investigations into reports of alleged human trafficking by Russia’s Alabuga Start Programme, an initiative targeting girls between 18 and 22 years ONLY.

So far, several African girls in that age range have moved to Alabuga, Russia, for jobs that promise them good fortunes but most end up shunted in enemy drone manufacturing factories in their special economic zone in the Republic of Tatarstan, according to several media reports.

Associated Press has reported that some of the women said they were misled into believing it would be a work-study program, describing long hours under constant surveillance, broken promises about wages and areas of study, and working with caustic chemicals that left their skin pockmarked and itchy. And a recent report by the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime revealed shocking details of exploitation, deception, and risks to safety faced by migrant workers.

While some governments have not yet moved to investigate the widely reported Alabuga recruitment programme, Botswana’s Interpol took these matters seriously by launching investigations into the reported human trafficking.

“Is the Alabuga start program a disguised form of human trafficking?” Operation Young Vote executive director Guess Nyirenda has asked, while Zambia Civil Liberties Union has called for an immediate recall of all Zambian girls currently in Alabuga, amid controversy surrounding the legitimacy of the program.

And a local women’s organization, the Young Women in Action, has called on the government to act swiftly, saying lack of adequate jobs is pushing young women into traps.

The Zambian CSOs have expressed concern about the safety of the Zambian girls currently under the same program. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its Principal Public Relations Officer Eva Hatontola, recently said the government was investigating reports about Alabuga Start, but there has been silence since then.

The Alabuga start, located in a special economic zone in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, has been at the centre of growing controversy. The program, marketed as a unique opportunity for young women, especially those from Africa, has faced heavy criticism for allegedly being manipulative and potentially dangerous.

The program’s true nature has been concealed by its marketers, but whistleblowers claim harsh working conditions, excessive surveillance, and punitive measures, raising serious concerns about human rights abuses.

In a recent interview with The Press Radio, Ekaterina Lommas, senior Media relations officer at Alabuga, attempted to defend the organisation’s image by stating that the region was stable and peaceful, and that participants felt safe at work and where they live, a statement that contradicts the April 2, 2024 BBC report that revealed a Ukrainian drone attack on the factory in Tatarstan, precisely where the Alabuga industrial complex is located.

Zambia Civil Liberties Union executive director Isaac Mwanza has challenged the Zambian government to investigate the welfare of the girls and bring them back home.

“It is sad that the Zambian and Russian governments are not being transparent and clear regarding this program,” Mwanza said. “We are challenging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be transparent and bring back the girls who are there.”

He warned that if no action is taken, the lives of the girls will remain at risk.

On January 30, 2025, ZAMRUS president Patricia Kalinga, when probed for answers regarding the allegations against the Alabuga Start, declined to comment and appeared unaware of the existence of the entire program.

However, on May 2, Ms Kalinga posted on her Facebook page, highly advertising the program, which she had initially expressed ignorance about.

“During my visit to the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, we had the honor of presenting the Alabuga Start Programme to the Zambian Embassy in Moscow. This initiative marks a key step in ensuring that all Zambian girls participating in the in the program remain in close communication with  our embassy in Russia, offering them both support and a sense of community,” she stated, adding, “This program is more than just education or training, it’s a gateway to global exposure, careers development and personal growth. We encourage every ambitious young girl in Zambia to consider this opportunity seriously…”

And on June 17, 2025, in an exclusive interview, Ms. Kalinga re-emphasized the goodness of the program, stating that it was a genuine and beneficial program that has benefitted young Zambian girls.

Ms Kalinga said that the girls were happy and earning more money and that they had been sending some support to their families while building houses back home in Zambia.

However, eyebrows were raised when she declined to share the girls’ family contacts to verify if the information she gave was true, stating that giving out their contacts was “an invasion of privacy”.

“We’re convinced beyond reasonable doubt that this program is not genuine because every genuine program would be transparent and accountable, their family contacts would have been known so that if indeed the program is genuine, the family can proudly say that their children are safe in Russia. This is now a matter of their safety and so the organisers of the program should come clean and be transparent,” Nyirenda said.

YWA executive director Besa Mwana also raised alarm over the Alabuga start programme, describing it as a modern form of human trafficking.

She said it is disheartening that there are such programmes targeting vulnerable people and luring them into slavery.

Ms Mwansa attributed the same to scarcity of jobs in the country, saying fake job opportunities were exploiting Zambia’s massive unemployment problem.

“Young people are leaving their comfort zones because jobs are scarce here in Zambia. Look at how long it takes just for nurses and teachers to be deployed into government? So this could be a reason why,” she explained and called on the government to conduct thorough background checks on job adverts that require people to travel to the diaspora to protect young women from potential trafficking.

Ms Mwansa also urged the government to recognise job scarcity as a key driver pushing youth into risky situations.

“These aren’t real jobs, they’re traps,” she added, urging young women to be cautious and verify all overseas job opportunities before applying.

In 2022 after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, Russia and Iran signed a $1.7 billion drone production deal. The manufacturing plant in Alabuga is now Russia’s main factory for making the one-way exploding drones, with plans to produce 6,000 a year by 2025, according to internal documents and the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security.