Agape Lerato Community Services

Sex Worker's Programme

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Vision and Mission

Our vision is to remove the social and structural barriers that confront Sex Workers on a daily basis to access services that addresses the challenges inherent in their multifaceted lives to live a better live. Our mission to empower the community on human rights violations that limit the access of sex workers to health promotion, prevention and treatment interventions that addresses the HIV epidemic, TB and STI`s and related mortality and morbidity. This includes the provision of condoms, psychosocial support and legal assistance.

About us

Community Collaboration

Our direct collaboration with marginalised communities enables us to have a comprehensive awareness of difficulties, cultural sensitivity, and social dynamics of communities

'Leave no one behind'

Our strategy is geared mainly towards the vulnerable and Key populations to end discrimination and exclusion, and reduce the inequalities.

Our Values

Our values are centered around Teamwork, Accessibility, Creativity, and Passion for the work that we do.

What we do

HIV/PrEP/STI and TB Treatment Services for Sex Workers,HIV Testing Services,

Sex Workers in Cohort

Percentage ART Linkage to Care

Victim Empowerment Support

Employees

We provide swx-worker led outreach programmes to prevent and treat HIV, TB and other sexually transmitted diseases, the Peer Educators who work within the outreach programmes are sex workers themselves. We offer services aimed at screening high risk individuals for

  • Sexually Transmitted infections and Tuberculosis
  • Providing HIV Testing Services and Counselling
  • Antiretroviral therapy (ART)which focuses on the right to health and is free from stigma and discrimination
  • Community empowerment by sensetizing the local communities and creating identity among sex workers
  • Addressing violence against sex workers by promoting and protecting their human rights and giving them psychosocial support
  • Promoting correct condom use among sex workers and their clients
  • Creation of safe spaces for sex worker group activities and interaction

Site Coordinators play an essential role in ensuring smooth operations with a team by facilitating communication and working schedules through the work of Teams. Coordinators contribute to the overall success of the team. The operational areas are divided into four (4) sites as follows:

  • Evaton, Tshepong, Zone 7 Site Co-ordinator – Mirriam Makua
  • Sebokeng, Small farm, - Site Co-ordinator – Jabulile Thinane
  • Vanderbijilpark, Vereeniging, Sharpeville – Site Co-ordinator Jacobeth Nkosi
  • Lesedi, Midvaal - Site Co-ordinator Rebecca Monesa

Laws and policies, including ones that criminalize sex work, may increase sex workers’ vulnerability to violence. Fear of arrest or harassment by the police may force street-based sex workers to move to locations that are less visible or secure, or pressure them into hurried negotiations with clients that may compromise their ability to assess risks to their own safety. Our Social workers support Sex Workers who experience different form of violence

  • Physical violence
  • Sexual violence
  • Emotional violence

Peer educators play a pivotal role in Community Empowerment which is the foundation of our transformative strategy for good health among our community. Empowerment of the sex worker community is both an intervention in itself, and also essential to effective planning, implementation and monitoring of all aspects of HIV and STI prevention, treatment and care. Peer educators address Violence against Sex Worker and focuses on the most urgent needs of sex workers:

  • Outreaching of Sex Workers.
  • Referring of sex workers to HIV and TB services.
  • Delivering of ART and PrEP Treatment.

Services

Community Empowerment

Sex workers take charge of the community empowerment process by mobilizing with other sex workers to develop solutions to the issues they face as a group, and by advocating for their rights as sex workers and as human beings. The interventions delivered through a community empowerment model include sustained engagement with local sex workers to raise awareness about sex worker rights.

Addressing Violence against Sex Workers

Female, male and transgender sex workers face high levels of violence, stigma, discrimination and other human-rights violations. Violence against sex workers is associated with inconsistent condom use or lack of condom use, and with increased risk of STI and HIV infection. Violence also prevents sex workers from accessing HIV information and services.

Antiretroviral therapy

The treatment principles and recommendations for antiretroviral drug (ARV) used by sex workers are the same ones applicable for all people with HIV infection. All sex workers with HIV and/or tuberculosis (TB) should have access to ART and to anti-TB drugs and services. In addition to the clinical benefit to the HIV-positive sex worker, providing ART has the potential to prevent HIV transmission by reducing viral load

Tuberculosis

People living with HIV are around 30 times more likely to develop TB than those who are HIV-negative, and they are at increased risk of dying from TB. People who use drugs are also at increased risk of developing TB, regardless of HIV status. TB clinic staff should be trained on the need for respectful approaches to sex workers. ART, adherence is crucial for persons receiving TB treatment and prophylaxis, and our nurses, counsellors, and Peer educators serving sex workers are providing encouragement to sex workers receiving treatment.

Family Planning

Information is provided to sex workers to make informed decisions regarding voluntary choice of contraceptive methods: Correct use of the method, How it works, Common side-effects, Health risks and benefits.

PrEP Demand Creation

Generating awareness on PrEP and providing PrEP to male and female sex workers

Employee Sentiment about Programme

Amos Chirwa

Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Using data driven methodologies we are able to ensure effective implementation of the 90-90-90 strategy for managing the dual epidemics of HIV and AIDS on the one hand and tuberculosis (TB).

Sex Worker

We are very happy of the services we are getting from Agape Community Services as we don't have to wait in long queues to receive medical attention.

Sex Worker

With the work that we do, we are susceptible to a variety of diseases that we are embarrased to talk about with the nurses at the clinics, the services that Agape Community Services provides ensures that we are not stigmatized.

Sex Worker

The Peer Educators at Agape are very supportive in terms of ensuring I get my ART medication as I do not want my family to know that I am HIV positive.

Sex Worker

I get tested for viral load every three months and is my viral load becomes high I am offered adherence support counselling by Agape social workers..

SWP Management Team

Dr ZT Masekameng

Executive Director

Ms Thoko Maboe

Programme Manager

Ms Pinky Phohlele

Finance Officer

Mr Bokang Thulo

Clinical Specialist

Contact

Our Address

28 Market Avenue Vereeniging 1939

Email Us

info@agapelerato.co.za

Call Us

016 362 336
016 421 8270

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