Durban sex worker devises plan to finally quit the streets
BUCKETS of love and support from the community keep pouring in for a Durban sex worker who left a brothel two weeks ago with a plan to start a little coffee shop.
She has since been receiving donations for the business, messages of encouragement and the 30-year-old Nigerian is grateful for the magic which came through guardian angels from expose Hope.
expose Hope’s mission is to care for those who work in the sex industry, empower those who want to quit, and assist victims of sex trafficking.
They found the woman at a shelter two days before Christmas. On Thursday she was given the nod to use the shelter’s lounge to serve her coffee and tea.
“There is also a garden on the side of the building, so I think that will also be a perfect spot to attract those passing by,” said the budding entrepreneur. “I don't have a formal name for the business, but am working on it.”
So far she has received urns, some beverage supplies, a designer apron and she anticipated further donations which would help to make a success of her business.
It has not been easy for the sex worker who arrived in the country in 2016 with the promise of a job. A family member took her from her family in Nigeria and sold her in the streets of South Africa.
“When she saw me she said I would be good for the job. We were not sure, but I had to make the sacrifice because times were hard,” she said. “We left Nigeria, flew to Addis Ababa and came to South Africa by road. We settled in Cape Town, where I worked for five years.”
She said the beginning of the pandemic caused her trade in Cape Town to slow down, but when she heard about how busy Durban was at the time, she did not hesitate to relocate with a friend in January last year.
“Since my arrival, I have been facing many challenges, especially because of my nationality. I was always scared, but the needs at home in Nigeria
kept me working,” she said.
“My mother suffered a stroke and I have to send money home for her medication. I am also taking care of my two biological siblings and two cousins, who are now orphans.”
She told the that none of her family members knew about the work she did and she doubted she would ever disclose that to them. She said her fear of deportation kept her moving from brothel to brothel, but she has been wanting to quit from the day she started.
“I unfortunately still have to work because the shop is not up and running yet. As soon as I have everything in order, it will be a thing of the past.”
She spoke about the violence and dangers women in her line of work are subjected to daily, and mentioned Morningside as the suburb with “many drug houses”.
“I lost my friend last May; she disappeared after receiving a call for work. I have never heard from her since. I don’t know any of her family members, as we met at a house in one of the suburbs. So it’s hard to even begin to look for her,” she said. “It is often unsafe out there and so if I have to work, I now make appointments at hotels or go to addresses I know are safe.”