Amid COVID crisis, sex workers in Amalner gear up to become entrepreneurs

As mainstream prostitution came to a standstill due to the pandemic, sex workers are exploring alternative livelihood options, including starting their own businesses. Left with no other source of income and ending up in neck-deep debts taken to survive the crisis, sex workers are looking at other options to earn a dignified living.

Hasina (name changed on request); a commercial sex worker wants to start a garment business. “I want to break free from the shackles of sex work and cultural bias. I used to sell fabrics as a part-timer in my locality even before the pandemic. But during this pandemic, everything changed. I was stranded with no income as demand for sex work dropped,” she says. By taking a loan to get started, she wants to be a full-time entrepreneur and sell clothing.

Rosie (name changed), another sex worker from the region, is set to defy all age-old perceptions of the society. Having an understanding of the construction sector, she is interested in becoming a retailer selling centering plates used in the construction of buildings. “It is a male-dominated industry, but I want to make it big here,” she says. Capital investment to get started is the need of the hour and she is expecting that some kind-hearted investors will come forward to support the initiative once the project takes off in full swing.

Aadhar Bahuudeshiya Sanstha, a Jalgaon-based NGO which works for the empowerment of marginalised communities, is providing support for this transition. They train sex workers with employable skills and are in the process of helping them set up business models.  AADHAR started a pilot project with five sex workers from the red-light area of Gandhali Pura in Amalner. 

Commenting about the project, Bharati Patil, founder of the NGO, says the organisation has a clear action plan to help interested sex workers find other employment opportunities to support themselves.“Indulging in sex work during this pandemic is risky and the women cannot afford the treatment. They are now trapped in huge debts, most of it borrowed from brothel owners and pimps. The situation is very grim here in Amalner and we want to help these women find alternative ways to earn a living,” she says.

However, Aadhar needs funding to go forward with the long-term plan. “I request Government, philanthropists and corporate leaders, to come forward to support and help these sex workers who want to start a new chapter in their life,” Patil adds.

Aadhar Bahuudeshiya Sanstha:

AADHAR is a non-governmental organisation striving to promote community empowerment by livelihood promotion, good health, family support and education of women, children and marginalized groups of the society.