New Beginnings for Vulnerable Women
An NPO in George is making inroads into the complex world of sex work by offering women on the street viable options, alternative income, and empowerment. Established by Esmé and Neels Meyer in October 2016, Azaria Outreach has successfully reintegrated 16 former sex workers into off-the-street lifestyles. The program addresses bigger picture issues such as drug addiction and joblessness.
Street Outreach: A Stepping Stone
Azaria coordinator Annalie Cable said the street outreach is the first step in a long-term relationship with women who want to exit sex work but feel the odds are stacked against them. “Every Wednesday night, I go with a group of volunteers to host a pop-up soup kitchen on the pavement near the main pickup spot. We hold a mini church service, pray for the women, love them and show interest in their lives and stories. We tell them about the program and offer to help them tackle the complex issues that affect their lives.”
Addressing Complex Challenges
“When women ask for help, we assess their challenges and connect them with the relevant social welfare or support structures when necessary. They have access to drug rehabilitation, medical care, and counseling, and we help them get on track to regain custody of their children.” Cable said the biggest threat to women wanting to leave the lifestyle came from people benefiting from them working on the streets, mostly boyfriends and pimps.
Safe House and Village of Safety
“For this reason, Azaria is working to establish a safe house and, ultimately, a village of safety where vulnerable women can recover sufficiently and be reintegrated into society. Other women in the program are taking the new women into their homes, but it is not ideal and sometimes not safe enough from their aggressors. We are raising funds and are looking for a property away from risk areas that can be secured properly to protect our women.”
Empowerment through Wild Mongoo
The Azaria program feeds into Wild Mongoo, a retail-based project that empowers vulnerable women by teaching skills that could translate into income. Wild Mongoo has an online shop and has just opened a retail shop on the program’s new workshop premises in the George CBD. The workshop trains vulnerable women from all backgrounds, not just former sex workers, in a wide range of skills, including sewing, beading, embroidery, and printing. They produce high-quality décor items, corporate gifts, jewelry and accessories, pet products, baby clothes, and soft toys.
Income and Training from Day One
The women earn a salary from day one, irrespective of their level of skill or experience, and while they are still in training. Some of the participants are limited by disabilities, so items of varying levels of difficulty are designed so everyone can make something and earn a living.
Success Stories
Among Azaria’s greatest successes is Charmaine Witbooi*, a former sex worker, who said the program transformed her life. “People who knew me from back then hardly recognize me now. I have been sober for years, care for my own children and have my own house. I have a steady income as a seamstress in the program and now even dare to dream.”
Charmaine started working the streets in her early 20s to support her drug and alcohol addiction. “I grew up in a house of violence, verbal abuse, and alcohol. I started using tik for escapism, which made things much worse. I dropped out of school and could not hold a job, so eventually started doing tricks.”
Long-Term Support and Recovery
Azaria supported Charmaine through recovery from TB, drug rehabilitation, and gave her temporary refuge in a church-owned commune to help her stay on the straight and narrow. When she was ready, they helped her rent land, build a wooden house, and regain custody of her children. “It was a difficult road and even now times can be tough, but I am never alone. The support structure of Azaria and Wild Mongoo makes all the difference. I am free of the street life and drugs for four years. I am involved in church and my children participate in church youth activities. I am so grateful that someone cared enough to look beyond my outward appearance and believed in my potential,” said Charmaine.
Launching Pad for Future Success
The Wild Mongoo project is considered a launching pad for women to be upskilled, trained, and mentored to the point where they can be employed outside the program or start their own businesses. The workshop has 19 women working there, each sponsored by outside donors, including overseas church groups. Cable said the women started in the workshop creating products for the Wild Mongoo shop, but they were continually assessed according to their talents and interests with the long-term future in mind.
Continuous Support and Mentorship
“One of our women was sponsored to complete a certified home-based carer course and another is a sign language translator and disabilities adviser at a school for disabled learners. With the support of a corporate sponsor, we are also mentoring a former employee to run a machine embroidery business on site.”
To prepare the women for the future, Wild Mongoo works towards continuous upskilling, including business management, personal finance, emotional support, and counseling. Azaria is associated with Ethnos Movement International (EMI), an international collective of NPOs with outreach programs to local, national, and international communities. Funding is gained through a range of local and international income streams, including fundraising events, product sales, donations, sponsorships, grants, and partnerships.
*Not her real name.
