This archive report was first published on 3 August 2020.
NAIROBI, Kenya - August 3, 2020
For Rose Wambui and 24 of her friends, sex workers in Nairobi's Korogocho slum, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought their lives to a standstill.
With the closure of bars and the dusk-to-dawn curfew in place since April, their source of income has been severely affected.
According to Wambui, who is 23 years old and has one child, the pandemic has made their situation worse.
"At times I wonder why I am still alive," Wambui said in an interview with Capital FM News. "My mother is unwell while my father is an alcoholic. My sister who also has a baby is not employed, leaving me as the only breadwinner."
Wambui's situation is not unique. Many of her friends are also struggling to make ends meet, with some having to care for multiple children.
One of them, Anastacia Wangechi, is looking after six children, including one left at her house by a friend who fled the area.
"Theirs is not a question of morals, but survival," Wambui said. "We are willing to push any limit to feed ourselves and our dependants."
Despite the challenges they face, the sex workers in Korogocho are determined to survive.
They have found a lifeline in the dirty water from the Nairobi River, which they use to clean gunny bags for a meager income.
According to Rita Wanjiru, 22, who has a five-month-old baby, the income from cleaning gunny bags is not enough to feed their children and support their families.
"This is not enough to feed our children and support our families," Wanjiru said. "We are forced to take anything, even if it means going to our clients' homes."
With the pandemic showing no signs of slowing down, the sex workers in Korogocho are left to wonder when their situation will improve.
"Until when?" Wambui asked. "Until then, an entire generation is wasting away."
Despite the government's efforts to engage youths in cleaning projects through the National Hygiene Programme, dubbed Kazi Mtaani, its effects in Korogocho are yet to be felt.
According to Mercy Wakonyo, one of the sex workers, they did not get a chance to be enrolled in the program.
"We did not get a chance to be enrolled," Wakonyo said. "We are left to fend for ourselves."
