A group of commercial sex workers in Thika town have launched a sensitisation campaign to educate public on benefits of safe sex.
In conjunction with other un-mentioned partners and supporters, the group is conducting the campaign within Thika Sub-County and its environs starting today.
The group, under the auspice of Wapate Initiative, based in Thika town, is targeting to distribute over 50 000 male and female condoms to highly populated areas in the area including slums.
Speaking during a campaign to launch the exercise at Mama Ngina Gardens in Thika on Thursday, the Wapate Initiative acting director Jane Kimani said HIV/AIDs prevalence rate was high in the region and cannot be ignored.
Thika town has a population of 400 registered sex workers according to Kimani who said that she was earlier divorced by her husband due to the sex workers campaigns that she has been carrying out.
The number has been increasing owing to the numerous higher education institutions cropping up in the area and unemployment amongst women living in slums.
She added that there were over 200 registered gays and lesbians, making it necessary to urgently address the need for safe sex. They are calling for the numerous unregistered sex workers to register with them so as they can get the exact number in their records.
The official said there was a worrying trend amongst the youth as they were more scared of getting pregnant than of contracting HIV/AIDs.
At the same time, sex workers who matched to commemorate the World Day to End Violence against Sex Workers called for legalising prostitution to protect them from assaults.