At a small clinic in a quiet, residential neighborhood, ten women are preparing to hit the streets for a day of potentially life-saving work; by donning white coats and filling their handbags with condoms.
These peer educators are former or current sex workers who teach others how to protect themselves from sexually-transmitted infections STIs and unintended pregnancy.
The Jimma confidential clinic was set up in to help at-risk and underserved populations like sex workers receive free and bespoke services that include HIV and STI testing, treatment and counselling, contraceptives and comprehensive abortion care. The peer educators work as volunteers and receive 2, Ethiopian Birr about USD 60 per month for travel costs.
Their work is challenging, and they travel in pairs for safety because some people do not welcome their messages. They also have a hard time persuading women that the staff at the confidential clinic are friendly towards sex workers and will keep their information private. Another confidential clinic operates in the nearby region of Gambella, where HIV prevalence is high.
She had a young child and blessed me afterwards. Peer educators focus on areas with a lot of hotels and bars and also broker's houses, where sex workers find clients. Lydia, 22, met the peer educators when she turned to sex work a year ago.
