Support to Commercial Sex Workers in Western Kenya

For the past three months our group have been receiving training in Table Banking, Savings and Lending and running of a business. The trainer Melchezidek works with the Livelihoods Department at the local Catholic Diocese and has a lot of experience working with different groups of women. For the past 3 weeks now the women have been putting the theory of a savings scheme into practice and embraced the notion of saving. We hope that over time that women receiving opportunities for getting loans from the group that they will have other choices in terms of how they earn their livelihoods. We are very conscious that the women are not comfortable with photos being taken of them. The attached photo shows the savings box that they use with 3 locks with keys held by three nominated women. The women chose for the funds to be kept physically first rather than digitally on mobile phones. 

For some time we have invited the women to come and visit us at our base at Edwina Gateley House. Last Thursday they agreed would be the date for the visit. Six of the members of the group actually came to visit. They met with our team here at Edwina Gateley House as well as members of the current World of Work (WOW) group and the Proud Moms who also spend each Thursday morning with us. It was a nice opportunity for the women and we hope that others in the group will also take up our invitation to visit in the future. 

Otherwise our counsellor, Doreen, continues to spend time with the group each week and offer them one to one opportunies to chat if they so wish. 

As always we are very grateful to our GlobalGiving supporters who make it possible to work with this group of women. 

Thank You - Asante Sana