This archive report was first published on 9 July 2020.
From Rebellion to Prostitution ¶
Purity Wanjiru, a 25-year-old woman from Nairobi, shares her story of how she ended up as a commercial sex worker. Born and raised in Uthiru, Kiambu County, Wanjiru's childhood was marked by rebellion and difficulties in her education.
She recounts being unable to stay in school for a whole day, feeling a strong urge to wander on the streets. While in primary school, she would leave lessons mid-way to explore her neighborhood. Her teachers eventually suspended her from school, instructing her parents to change her carefree attitude for good.
Wanjiru's family of 12 siblings was not supportive, and she was beaten up by her elder siblings and mother when she showed disinterest in education. This incident made her bottle up anger against her family members.
Life on the Streets ¶
At 13 years old, Wanjiru decided to run away from home, marking the beginning of her life in the streets. She was arrested for wandering aimlessly and allegedly engaging in prostitution, and was locked up in a juvenile cell for two months.
After being released, Wanjiru vowed never to return to her parents' home in Uthiru. She met a middle-aged woman on the streets who offered to take her in, but Wanjiru soon realized she was being exploited and decided to go back to the streets.
Marriage and Prostitution ¶
Wanjiru met a youthful man on the streets who was interested in making her his wife. She moved in with him, but he turned out to be an irresponsible and uncaring husband. He was an alcohol and miraa addict, and his money was often depleted at beer and miraa chewing dens.
Wanjiru became pregnant with her first child, and her husband began battering her at the slightest provocation. She was six months pregnant when he verbally abused her, saying he was only interested in using her for sexual pleasure.
Wanjiru's female neighbors and friends introduced her to prostitution as a way of raising money to feed herself and her child. She engaged in prostitution for the remaining three months of her pregnancy and gave birth to a baby girl.
Turning Point ¶
Wanjiru's turning point came when a client noticed her baby bump and asked her why she was prostituting while pregnant. He refused to have sex with her, instead giving her Ksh10,000 and dropping her home.
Wanjiru was deeply affected by the client's words and decided to stop engaging in sex work. However, she struggled to settle in and eventually went back to prostitution due to security challenges and financial needs.
Quitting Prostitution ¶
Wanjiru's final straw was when she was arrested alongside her colleagues in August 2016. The following morning, she felt ashamed of how skimpily she was dressed and decided to quit prostitution for good.
She sought God's forgiveness at a local church and vowed to withdraw fully from her former practice. Women at the church offered to help her financially and with basic items as she started a new life.
Wanjiru eventually got a job as a garbage collector with the County Government of Nairobi, earning between Ksh300 and Ksh400 per day. She prefers a low-budget meal bought with her earnings to expensive foods acquired through prostitution.
