By Cynthia Masibo
Dr. Charles Maina, CEO of My Guardian, stands as a beacon of compassion and dedication in ensuring the safety and well-being of migrant workers. At the core of this mission, My Guardian plays a pivotal role in facilitating the secure return of workers choosing to leave their jobs abroad. Historically, migrant workers endured mistreatment and even hostage situations when expressing a desire to return home. My Guardian intervenes not only to support safe returns but also assists in facilitating job transitions for workers seeking new opportunities.
Dr. Maina, an economist who holds a PhD. in Digital Innovation & Strategy Management, has also designed and rolled out the My Guardian Mobile App, which is used to triangulate the location of distressed Migrant Workers. The App also provides several other services to Migrant Workers including linkage to preferred remittance banks,view of credible labour export companies, and linkage to diaspora associations.
Driven by empathy, Dr. Maina and his team extend their efforts to actively rescue workers held hostage, a stark contrast to past experiences where such workers had no avenues for assistance. Dr. Maina expressed deep concern after witnessing online videos depicting workers contemplating drastic actions due to the lack of help in their dire circumstances.
Inspired by his experiences at Alliance High School, where foreign exchange students seamlessly integrated into the community, Dr. Maina aspires to replicate this positive integration for every East African migrant worker.
Acknowledging the significant contribution of migrant workers through remittances to their home countries, Dr. Maina stresses the urgency of a swift and supportive response to their needs. My Guardian collaborates closely with labor export companies, maintaining a strong presence in Saudi Arabia and planning expansions to other countries, ensuring a rapid and effective response to workers’ safety requirements.
Dr. Maina emphasizes the pivotal role of governments in empowering private entities to safeguard their citizens working abroad, especially in potentially hostile environments. Positioned as a platform for vulnerable immigrant workers to voice their needs, My Guardian acknowledges that many are spouses and parents supporting needy families.
Looking to the future, Dr. Maina envisions increased East African citizens working abroad. Proactive measures address challenges faced by labor export companies outside their jurisdictions. This positive collaboration among My Guardian, labor export companies, and governments aims to foster a secure, regular, and productive labor export sector for East African migrant workers. Such efforts contribute significantly to sustained economic growth in their respective nations while ensuring the continued well-being of their citizens working abroad.
John Kamau 
Mt Kenya Times