No sex for fish: Empowering women to promote health and economic opportunity in a localized place in Kenya

Abstract

A pervasive cultural practice called 'jaboya' or women trading sex for fish exists at Nyamware Beach, on Lake Victoria in Kenya, where the fishing industry is the primary source of income. This case study describes how an innovative market-based solution succeeded in changing the gender dynamics on Nyamware beach and empowering women with the means of production in the industry. Over the course of 6 months, three boats were built for women to own and manage, and 29 women and 20 men received business skills training while establishing local community savings and loans associations. This project succeeded in quickly adjusting the economic imbalance that previously left women few options but to exchange sex to purchase the best fish for food and for distribution. Participating women applied resulting increased income to school fees for children and toward their households and businesses. Women owning businesses, earning income and gaining a voice in the community has changed the gender dynamics of men working on the boats for women and has positively altered the perception of women in the community. Additionally, this project offers potential health benefits such as a reduction in the transmission of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections due to reduced rates of transactional sex, and reduced rates of depression, alcohol abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder from transactional sex, which can be traumatic. The success of this project demonstrates that small and innovative approaches addressing root causes of economic and social inequality can improve health and promote sustainable economic development.