Tales of Mombasa Young HIV-positive sex workers

Mombasa

Saturday September 2, 2023

KNA by Sadik Hassan

The country is doubling up efforts to end the triple threat of sexual gender violence, pregnancies, and HIV among adolescents and young people.

But the country is not out of the woods yet, some young girls living with HIV in Kadzandani ward, Nyali constituency have turned to prostitution due to poverty and poor parenting.

Data from the National Syndetic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) shows that an estimated 52 percent of all new HIV infections occurred among young adults aged 15-29.

Leah (not her real name) found herself in the murky world of prostitution when she was 15 years old. She was raised by her grandparents.

She says life took a new twist after the death of her grandmother. She failed to proceed to secondary school due to a lack of fees.

“One day a man came and wanted to marry me, I lived with him before he ran away, and I returned home. Pangs of hunger drove me to bad companies, I was a party girl,” she says.

Later she got another man who used her sexually.

“I used to frequent clubs and sleep with different men. I decided to get pregnant in the first clinic HIV was not detected but was detected in my second visit,” she narrates.

Leah is currently using ARVs and still practices prostitution because petting food is a challenge.

She advises young sex workers with HIV to always use condoms not to infect others.

“If I got a job I will move out of the street,” she says.

Tina (not her real name) aged 18 years was living with his dad, chose bad friends, and was hooked on disco parties.

She got pregnant when 15 years her parents chased her away from home.

Tina used to take Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection. Before they were given the drugs they used to be tested and one day the results turned out to be positive.

“After giving birth I started prostitution to eke a living. My first baby passed away during birth.

I don’t know how I got the virus, some clients don’t want to use condoms but they increase the money,” she says.

She is aware of the risks but has young babies to take care of. 

Tina advises parents and caregivers to be close to their teenage children.

She echoed Eve's call for young sex workers to use protection all the time.

Marylyn Laini, Director Nkoko Iju Africa works with over 400 young sex workers in Nyali and Kisauni constituencies.

The organization provides rapid response to violence, empowerment skills, and linkage to reproductive health for young sex workers.

Laini says most of the girls engaging in prostitution are mostly from 15 years old. old They are facing a conflict with the law because of the girls' ages.

“Some will come with Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), others want to procure abortion, and some when infected refused to take ARVs," discloses Laini adding that tracing the girls is an uphill task.

"It’s hard to locate them to take drugs to suppress viral load not to infect others," she said.

Lack of finance is a major setback to the organization hindering their interventions to save the young girls.

Laini says they should be involved in policy formulation by the government to give their input on how young sex workers can be handled and reintegrated back into society. 

She thanks the Médecins Sans Frontières – a medical organization that provides clinical outreaches monthly for the young sex workers. 

“We involved village elders in the mobilization since there is nothing we are doing against the law. We want them to be protected not to infect others,” she says.

“We have a lot of girls who are pregnant to them it’s like a fashion. We have brought counseling and health talks but the environment contributes due to poverty. We are working against the tide and the tide is very strong,” she divulged.

Ann Mathew, Nkoko Iju Africa Peer Educator divulged that she is appalled by young sex workers in alcohol-drinking dens popularly known as mangwe.

“You will find them being lured to sex. Parents are neglecting their children you will find them roaming at night while parents are at home,” she said.

She takes a swipe with some boda boda riders who while knowing they are infected lure young girls to sex.

“You’ll find in a place with many boda bodas many young girls have HIV,” she says.

Courtesy ; K. N. A