Author Archives: Mathew Nyabwana

About Mathew Nyabwana

Born in Nairobi ,I have developed knowledge and skills in communication and general attributes pertaining to this level of education

Sex workers’ rights are just workers’ rights

Sex workers’ rights are workers’ rights and human rights — because sex workers are human beings doing work. That’s why the debate over sex work shouldn’t focus, as it usually does, on whether sex workers are “criminals” or “victims.” Instead, sex workers themselves should have agency and a say in the policies that govern their practices.

 

The MSMS PEER EDUCATORS MONTHLY REPORT SUBMISSION

The Msm, s monthly P/E meeting is always held at Busia survivor’s office through the collaboration of survivor and APHIAplus western. The peer educators bring their reports and share the challenges they faced in the field during the month.

The 29th of October meeting we had visitors from NASCOP and OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE OF EAST AFRICA, thus we did not have the normal meeting procedure

NASCOP

The visitor from NASCOP introduced herself and shared with us new tools which were introduced in the new project in which reporting will be conduced monthly. Also Msm, s shared their challenges, achievements faced during the month.

OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE OF EAST AFRICA

Also at our meeting, Msm, s shared their challenges with the team from OSIEA who have been in the office from Monday 27th The visitors introduced themselves and said that they came to our organization so as to build and help on what we have to make our work easy. They have much to share with us until on Friday 31st. October.

Submission

Report submission was done as usual where by the entire peer educators submitted their report in which it was rectified by the programs manager who is also the supervisor. The meeting ended with the word of prayer from one of the peer educators

Sex workers children forum

It was a very happy day for the sex workers children who gathered at survivor’s office to discuss ways to be good role models in the society.

The inaugural forum was meant to bring together children of sex workers to educate them on how to address the challenges they undergo and also to become good role models, it organized by the Survivor’s organization in collaboration with APHIAplus the facilitators were Bramwell Siku from APHIAplus and Joseph Arango L.V.C.T. It was a new beginning where they learnt new skills on how to become role models in the future community. There were two sessions, morning and afternoon session.

The day began by a self introduction from the children then the facilitators introduced themselves, the facilitators took through life skills and also the challenges that the children of sex workers go through below are some of the challenges the children go though

i)                   Abuse from the community

ii)                 Abuse from fellow children

iii)               Isolation by neighbors

iv)               Church leaders

v)                 Lack of school fees

vi)               Low self esteem

 

After they shared their challenges, they were told to write what they could like to be in future, majority were for being teachers, some wanted to be doctors, judges, nurses ,pastors, lawyers, police, president, mps, pilots, governors,senetors, ward representatives and also prominent business people.

This was conducted during the first session where by they went for lunch which was organized at the office.

After lunch the young ones were dismissed paving way for counseling session for the older ones who were at the age of puberty. This session helped the organization to know some of the challenges that the adolescent face due to their mothers being sex workers. After the session, they dispersed with a promise from the counselors to do a follow up session with the children.

 

survivors conduct htc outreach in busia town

 

On 27/9/ 2014, survivors’ organization conducted HTC services in Busia town at Holiday Inn, in partnership with APHIA PLUS WESTERN KENYA. The aim of the HTC service was to test both the MSMs and FSWs so that they may know their status.

The activity started at 6pm where by the 8 mobilizes went round giving information on the importance of knowing one’s status. We managed to provide services to 113 (female 34 then male 79). We also managed to distribute 353 condoms. Surprisingly the majority of those who came for the test were MSMs; this means that the MSMs are out to know their status which is very good.
Mobilization team did their best to ensure the right and positive information was well facilitated.

Achievements
.We managed to reach a quite number of people
. Right and clear positive information on correct and consistent condom use was well spread.
Challenges

Having 10 counselors’ our target was 150 clients in which we were unable to reach .

It started raining early thus lead to low turn up of clients.