WUNRN
Women News Network
Website Link Includes Two Videos.
November 18, 2010
Known in
The move to assist women who are currently
working in
“We are giving loans to prostitutes in a
move aimed at helping them,” says Equity Bank Chief Executive Officer, Dr.
James Mwangi, during a recent Women News Network interview.
“It is sad that many women are still in the
trade of prostitution. Many should know about available opportunities,” says
Jane Mumbi, a 35 year old mother and former commercial sex-worker, who now owns
a restaurant on the outskirts of
In a country where the average income is
less than two dollars (USD) per day, the goal of microfinance credit is to
bridge the poverty gap as it also works to help women increase gender
empowerment through opportunity.
We saw “no bathrooms; no toilets; no
running water; no kitchens; maybe a cooking stove run on kerosene shoved in the
corner. Outside the door were plastic buckets to wash and bathe in,” shared
global woman’s advocate, Cathy Michael, when she had a chance to see extreme
poverty conditions up-close in the
“Women constitute the majority of the poor
and also the absolute majority of Kenyans,” said a detailed 2000 report made by
the government of
“Studies in
The
Crime, prostitution and lawlessness is a
common reality in the
Facing daily humiliations as they are
shunned by Kenyan society, many women who have decided to become commercial
sex-workers in the slums, work under high stress and often very dangerous
conditions, where rape and the dangers of HIV/AIDS are real and imminent.
Providing food and shelter for their
children and/or elder parents, women sex-workers who live in the Mathare Valley
and also in the Kibera slum, south of Nairobi, often are the only ones who can
act as official “heads of household” for their families.
Providing food and shelter for their
children usually falls completely on the women.
“In addition to being a prostitute, I have
lived in the streets for many years and been involved in all kinds of serious
and petty crimes,” says former commercial sex-worker, Jane Mumbi, who now lives
a new life. “I have even been involved in drug trafficking and been jailed
several times,” she admits.
Working under the stress of a constant
threat of rape violence in the processes surrounding their work, prostitutes
from the slums sift through debilitating and often insulting treatment as they
collect monies for sex-services. Their pay goes first for food, then for the
needs of their children and parents. Their own needs come last.
“It is good. It is a good feeling I don’t have
to sell my body anymore to feed my two young children. Life is hopeful,” adds
former prostitute, Jane Mumbi.
Trapped in a dangerous wheel with work that
is rising in acceptance among the youth in modern Kenyan society, many of
The average amount of time spent for most
women, who work as sex-workers in
An average microloan for women in
The plan to pay back loans is brilliant.
Women meet with their group on a regular basis to borrow and pay back loans to
their bank over an extended period of time. Bank microloan programs succeed as
women are held accountable to themselves, the bank and the group as they
payback what they have borrowed. As loans are paid, opportunities for women to
borrow larger amounts of money are also made available.
Many of
Former prostitute, Jane Mumbi, pays a
mortgage of $30 (USD) per month for the restaurant she now owns. She also pays
an additional $60 (USD) per month, via her profits, back to her bank.
The policy of lending to those in need has
worked. “We have been quite successful,” says Mwangi about Equity Bank’s
lending programs, which is now partnering with the UNDP – United Nations
Development Programme.
Equity Bank, which started as a non-profit
financial service in
“My restaurant is now making a profit of
more than $800 (USD) per month,” says Jane proudly.
Loans by Equity Bank range from $700 to as
much as $6,000 (USD). The bank also provides loans that are smaller for women
who are starting at a beginners level.
“We encourage realistic proposals from the
applicants. (Applications) have to be from women,” says Mwangi about the
institution’s microloan program for women. “We have other lending categories
which men can apply for, but this program is for women (only). They also have
to prove that they can pay back the loan.”
Owner of a tailoring business in
Jamii Bora Trust, a MFI – Micro Finance
Institution based in
Jamii Bora is now one of
Jane Mutua, who is widowed and has never
been a prostitute, has also benefited from a small Jamii Bora loan ($1,500 USD)
which has helped her expand her farming business.
“I am very happy. Women like me are at a
very high risk when we do not have any money. We often tend to go into
prostitution and other vices to survive and feed our families,” shares Mutua.
“The good thing, with these small loans, is
that you can always borrow (again) as soon as you pay back,” Jane explains.
In the last ten months, as microfinance
programs expand in the region, Equity Bank has been the financial lender to
more than 7,000 women who have begun to establish their own businesses.
“The government (also) hopes to reduce HIV
infections in the country, which still remain high,” says Equity Bank CEO, Dr.
James Mwangi.
“There are many microfinance specialists
who say that the very poor cannot use a microloan. But that is an ancient myth
— one that dies hard,” says Sam Daley-Harris, recipient of the first Susan M. Davis Lifetime Achievement
Award and founder of RESULTS, a grassroots lobbying organisation
working closely on issues to alleviate world poverty.
“Many women are scared to apply for loans
since they fear that failure to repay will increase their levels of poverty.
Many have died from HIV or other causes,” adds Dr. Mwangi.
Teaching commercial sex-workers in
“The agreed deadline of 2015 (for The
United Nations Millennium Development Goals) is fast approaching,” said UN
Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon recently on September 16, in a formal statement
on world poverty. “There is still much to be done.”
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Scroll down article at website link to film segment: SEX TO SURVIVE - http://womennewsnetwork.net/2010/11/18/microfinance-kenya-1009/
Located 7 kilometers (4.35 miles) south
west of
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Scroll down article at website link to film
segment: COMMERCIAL SEX WORKERS REHAB PROGRAM IN KIBERA - http://womennewsnetwork.net/2010/11/18/microfinance-kenya-1009/
Green Bridge CBO Founder,
Lydia Ondiek, helps women sex-workers learn to connect to greater opportunity
with microfinance programs available in the region. Microloans help women
sex-workers begin their own business projects as they learn to engage with
Kenyan society in a new way. This 2:54, January 2010 video has been produced by
Andrew Ochieng for Kenyan CitizenTV news.
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