On a normal day at work, you will find me either setting up HIV testing stations in bars and rallying woman to get tested, or distributing condoms. We can turn our backs and say that the sex trade is not thriving but it is, and young women are exposed every day. So I empower them to speak out against violence, to ask a man to use a condom. I also lobby to change policies that are discriminatory against women. In cases for soliciting for sex, for instance, while women are thrown behind bars, the men walk. The laws are faulty. We need a situation where gender fairness is respected. Just yesterday, I was handling a case of a policeman who has been harassing sex workers and forcing them to have unprotected sex with him. I am happy when we are able to take cases to court.
I have met many people who do not understand that ours is a human rights organization fight for sexual and reproductive health rights for everyone. I have met people who think that I am promoting prostitution. But the truth is that sex work is there and we can’t change everyone. The ultimate dream for me is to live in a society where all women are respected, including sex workers.
My work can be emotionally taxing so when am not working, I like to spend some time alone. Going to most social places usually feels like work to me, so I will stay home and bod with my son and my partner.