I chose the road less traveled

Margaret Wamaitha, 28, works at a youth resource centre in Nairobi's Kawangware area. She initiated a plan to rehabilitate commercial sex workers, who she would assist with her modest pay. KIUNDU WAWERU caught up with her.

Most of us are quick to condemn commercial sex workers. But have you ever stopped to wonder what leads them to this?

One woman found herself on the verge of prostitution, having grown up in an informal settlement, Kawangware. After sitting for her KCSE, Margaret Wamaitha could not proceed to college and she ended up getting pregnant. Her mother, who is a widow, was jobless. How was Margaret going to take care of her baby?

Margaret Wamaitha

“My peers seemed to have money, which they got from the ‘roadie’ (euphemism for soliciting sex for cash in the streets), but I knew their flashy lifestyle was a camouflage to the struggles they faced,” says Margaret.

She chose the road less travelled, and washed clothes for neighbours for paltry pay.

“I saved some money and started selling rice. The business did not do well and hardships became unbearable. When I joined Dagoretti Fans Welfare Group, I was exposed to life’s possibilities,” she says.

It is while here that a friend paid for her college fees where she studied counselling. She later got a job at the Dagoretti Empowerment Centre.

“My mandate was to co-ordinate the youth centre and initiate youth empowerment projects,” Margaret says.

One of her initial projects, rehabilitating young men addicted to drugs seemed a hard nut to crack. Remembering her hard life, Margaret turned her attention to girls in her area who were hooked to the desperate life of prostitution. Without judging them, she urged them to come to the centre where she would organise empowerment seminars. Some joined her (grudgingly) and they initiated Warembo Unique that is registered with the Social Services.

Slightly over one year now, Margaret has reached more than 30 commercial sex workers. Some come and go and the group has 20 active members of whom ten have reformed.

When Eve Woman visited the centre, we found Wamaitha with three of the ‘Warembos’ making beads jewellery. The young women were at first shy, but slowly they mellowed. They are beautiful but their faces hold that mysterious look born of hard living.

When they tell their story, what got them into the ‘oldest profession’, their exhilarating experience on the ‘roadie’; you can’t help but get emotional, angry and sad.

Mary Nyakio did not proceed to high school after her KCPE. It was not even discussed at home. To beat boredom, she joined a group of friends and started frequenting local pubs in Kawangware.

“I wanted to look the part; dress well and drink alcohol. Slowly, I was drawn in deep and we would go looking for clients even in Nairobi notorious spots like Sabina Joy and the streets of Hurlingham,” Mary says.

In the process, she got three children. Her life is similar to that of her colleagues, Teresiah Nyambura and Lydia Waithera. All three plied their trade at Hurlingham, from where they have stared death in the eyes many times.

Says Mary: “We could sometimes get sadists who would whip you, and others force you to have sex with their pets. Not mentioning refusal to pay, sometimes at gunpoint.”

“A client once drove me to the Lang’ata Cemetery and left me there, in the middle of the night,” says Lydia.

Turning point

Teresiah adds, “My turning point came when two of my friends went with clients on different occasions, only to be found dead days later.”

To keep sane, Margaret says they opt to remain drunken, 24/7. So why do they do it knowing the risks?

“Ninety nine per cent of us have children and live in rental houses. Our parents don’t care, while others are poor. We have nothing else to do,” says Mary.

To show their willingness to change, they joined Warembo Unique, as they had seen a beam of hope.

The centre organises seminars sponsored by different organisations. On learning about a seminar that would benefit the Warembos, Margaret does everything to convince the organisers to put them on the programme. Thus, they have been trained in peer education, HIV/ Aids, reproduction health and family matters among others.

And the benefits are showing. For instance, after the interview, Teresiah and Mary left for nearby schools where they are training pupils in sporting activities. They are paid Sh250 a session.

“My challenge is keeping them in the group,” explains Margaret, “as they are used to quick money, if we don’t get income generating activities, they relapse back to the streets.”

Indeed, this was a problem at the beginning, where Margaret would share her meagre salary with them, as they need to feed their children. “Then I came up with an idea whereby we contribute Sh20 everyday and if anyone one is in trouble, we bail her out,” she adds.

They have been trained in jewellery making; hair braiding and they say given an opportunity, they are willing to change.