Sabeen: As sex workers, how much do you wish to learn other skills to make money?

Lubna (former sex worker): It's about choices. When someone gives them a good choice, they'll most definitely save up. They will utilize that choice. No one wishes to live a sinful life. That's what we have to do, we have to give them opportunities.

Empowering Sex Workers in Lahore

Sex workers in Lahore's Red Light District are one of the most stigmatized and impoverished groups in Pakistan. Born into prostitution, they are stuck in a cycle of violence and abuse from clients, husbands, partners, and sometimes family members. Sex workers have been historically shunned and marginalized in Pakistan. Because of this stigma, lacking educational and training opportunities, compounded by extreme poverty, sex workers often have little to no means of getting out.

The goal of this project is to empower sex workers with vocational training, financial literacy, and employment, and provide them with an opportunity to leave a life of violence and discrimination. 

Vocational Training

In partnership with Sheed Society, a small sex worker NGO in the Red Light District, and Go Green Welfare Society, an NGO in Lahore, we intend to provide a 3-month paid internship for sex workers, consisting of vocational training in hair and make-up, along with financial literacy education. GO Green Welfare Society has trained transgender women in hair and make-up, who at the end of the internship started their own private business, or began employment at hair salons and news channels. Following completion of the internship, trainees receive practice with mock-interviews, assistance with portfolios and social media profiles, with the intention to work at salons, media companies, or start their own businesses.

Funds raised will be allocated towards the following: 

·      salary for 3-month paid internship for 5 sex workers (so they do not need to work) 

·      salary for 1 hair/make-up trainer, who is a former trainee 

·      salary for a project supervisor, daughter of a former sex worker

·      new make-up kits, tools, wardrobes & cellphones for trainees

·      matched savings to assist with start up of business & kick off new vocation!

·      project management costs, such as transportation, literacy materials, etc.

rellabeauty will be gifting each woman a lipstick, so they can start their internship and this new journey feeling beautiful and confident!

Lubna Tayyab, a former sex worker, started a small community-based organization in Lahore's Red Light District, called Sheed Society.

"Sex worker and sweeper – they are both needed, but neither is accepted. Every man wants a sex worker, every house wants a sweeper. But no one accepts us. They come here and commit sins,  in the darkness of the night, and then during the day, they are the good ones, and we are the bad ones? We need to empower these women. 

      Why us? Did God send us different air? Different light of the sun? Do we get grain from somewhere else? Everything that the general community eats, we eat the same thing. We are in so much need, if one girl is making money, 10 people are eating from that. They have responsibilities. They have their uncles, grandmothers, children, to take care of. Where do they go? Have any of you ever accepted one of them? They can’t even think to leave because of their necessity. Has anyone from the outside come to this community to help us? Let’s give them respect. We won’t make them wives, we’ll make them our sisters. Let go of this work, we’ll take care of you. Who hasn’t come here to do an interview with me? BBC, CNN, Dawn, Samaa, GEO, there isn’t one Pakistani channel who hasn’t come here to interview. But no one does anything."

ABOUT ME: I am a clinical social worker living in Los Angeles, CA. Over the last two years I have raised a total of $7500 towards this project, and still need to raise $2500 for a training program for 5 women. I am planning to go to Lahore, Pakistan in June 2021 to oversee the initiation of this project.

Please join us in eradicating the need for women to engage in sex work for income and sustenance, and helping a population that has long been ignored and marginalized in Pakistan.

Photos by Zainul Abidin; Lahore, Pakistan