ABOUT SOLWODI KENYA

Solidarity with Women in Distress (SOLWODI) is a registered Kenyan non governmental organisation (NGO) which aims at empowering women and girls so that they are no longer forced to earn a living as commercial sex workers (CSWs) through lack of alternatives.

SOLWODI has its headquarters in Mombasa and additional centres in Mtwapa/Kilifi, Malindi and Watamu/Gede.

The SOLWODI programmes focuses on education, empowerment, awareness and independence instead of handouts and dependency. SOLWODI's areas of activity include counselling, vocational and skills training, setting up and helping regional support and savings groups, granting small loans for business set up, awareness-raising events, home visits and case follow ups, legal advice, peer education, working with the private sector and street work.

SOLWODI was founded more than 20 years ago, by Sister Lea Ackermann, a German nun, who was originally sent to Kenya by her congregation, the Missionary Sisters of Our lady of Africa, to train teachers. But once she arrived in Mombasa and saw the misery of the women who had little or no education, being exploited and abused as CSWs, Sister Lea decided that this was her real mission in Kenya - to give women and girls a real chance in life.

Today the six programmes are differently financed; through national and international institutions, such as the International Labor Organisation (ILO), Family Health International (FHI), Unicef, Save the Children Sweden, Austrian Development Cooperation, church congregations, charitable organisations well as from private donations.

SOLWODI works together with local clinics and medical centres and networks with other NGOs. Mutual support and cooperation also exists between SOLWODI and the Mombasa Youth Office as well as with other local groups and organisations. More than 650 women and girls are registered with SOLWODI in Kenya.

 

Why target sex workers?
The growing economic crisis which affects the majority of people in Kenya has driven families and individuals into unprecedented levels of poverty and despair. Poverty however is not the only factor that drives women to become sex workers. Many women and girls have been driven to commercial sex work by gender discrimination, negative cultural practices like early marriages, wife inheritance, early sexuality, son preference and dysfunctional / broken families, among others.

Commercial sex work exposes women and girls to untold risks such as physical abuse, psychological torture, and exploitation by clients and other males, loss of self and social esteem, harassment, imprisonment and sexually transmitted infections (STI), including the deadly HIV/AIDS: From the gender perspective women are doubly at risk of getting the HIV virus, firstly as potential victims and secondly as traditional health care providers. Commercial sex workers, most of them being women are at even greater risk due to the constant exposure involved in their trade.

In the last six years SOLWODI has worked with commercial sex workers (CSW) and young girls at risk, that have shown a desire to change and opt for alternative ways of earning livelihoods. The experiences of the CSW have been harrowing, as revealed from the experiences they share in counselling and open day meetings where they come together to share their experiences and seek help.

 
 
Updated May 2007. Copyright SOLWODI