Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege has promised to rehabilitate about 200 sex workers to enable them to engage in sustainable sources of livelihoods.
The MP on Monday said most of the sex workers are single mothers who were unable to gain a tertiary education. As such, they lack technical skills.
She spoke at Makuyu market where she distributed food to sex workers, most of whom operate in Murang'a town.
“Sex work exposes someone to many risks and one can get sick. Growing old also means one will require other ways of supporting themselves,” Chege said.
She said the sex workers have registered a group that has 106 members through which they reach out for support.
On Monday, other women, including barmaids, showed up and milled around Makuyu market when they heard the MP was coming to distribute food to the group.
Chege gave the food items to all of them. She promised to meet with the women and discuss ways of rehabilitating them so they can get out of the streets.
“The long-term plan is to see how they can be trained to do technical work that can comfortably support them and their families,” the lawmaker said.
Chege pledged to work with the county government to facilitate mass Covid-19 testing for workers in the hospitality industry so restaurants and bars can reopen.
The MP, who chairs the National Assembly's Health Committee, said the closure of hotels and bars has left many workers struggling to feed themselves and their families.
She appealed to business operators to ensure they strictly follow the health guidelines to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
“We’ve been told that we have to learn to live with the virus. The safest thing to do is ensure we do social distancing, wear masks at all times and observe proper sanitation,” she said.
“As we open up, let’s do so with precaution so that we are able to earn a living while ensuring we don’t endanger our lives.”
Chege launched the food distribution programme last week. About 5,000 families are targeted.
“But so many other people come out when we give out the food because they are hungry,” she said. She asked more leaders, traders and professionals from the county to chip in.
The MP had earlier distributed food to hundreds at Mugeka and also gave donations to the Muslim community as they celebrated Eid ul Fitr.
Chege said her team will start door-to-door food distribution so as to reach out to those unable to travel to venues and also to observe the social distancing directive.
Edited by P.O
