Building trust with the community
The impact of MSF’s intervention in Mbare and Epworth has been transformative. Zira recalls an adolescent girl who had been raped and was unknowingly living with HIV: “She didn’t know she was positive. Her parents didn’t know either. I brought her to the clinic, and she got the help she needed,.”
The peer educator model is fostering trust within the community, encouraging more young sex workers to seek medical care. Many young women call for expanded services, economic support, and better health care facilities.
“Many young sex workers won’t trust traditional health care providers, but they trust someone who has lived their experience,” says Samuel Sithole, MSF’s health promotion manager, emphasizing the importance of the peer educator model. “When there is trust, there is acceptance. When there is acceptance, behavior change happens.”
Peer educators like Jaya*, who transitioned from being a patient to her current role, highlight the need for continued support. “Before, I only cared about money,” she says. “I didn’t think about my health. But MSF empowered me—I no longer work in bars, and now I teach others about the importance of protection. Jaya also stresses the need for expanded services, such as condoms and better access to lubricants, to ensure safer practices.