Hundreds of locals at Nakiwogo Landing Site were on Valentine’s Day brought together by a moonlight outreach organized by Family Medical Point, a not for profit organization that operates mostly among landing site communities.
The outreach which specifically started at around 7pm went till 11pm as staff from Family Medical Point(FMP) gave out free condoms, offered HIV testing and counseling, educated on unsafe abortions, teenage pregnancies and sexual violence among others.
Jane( not her real name) a sex worker said such services help remind them of what to be done in order to ensure they live safe lives.
“Previously, I didn’t have any idea of where to go for help in case of any problem and since I am a sex worker, I was afraid of going to the health centre for fear of the way people looked at me. Sometimes we don’t have condoms and end up using polythene bags but with the intervention of condoms distributed during this outreach by Family Medical Point, I have at least got some that can take me days,” she said in an interview.
She hailed the moonlight outreach as a lifesaver for many of “us who can’t access services during the day due to stigma or fear.”
The Head of Programs at Family Medical Point, Pauline Nabwire said they specifically targeted the evening hours for a reason.
“We chose a moonlight outreach because most of our beneficiaries are sex workers who move around and find it easy to work in the night but also during the night, they find it easy to come and seek these services. Also, the fishermen most of the times return from fishing at night and it makes it easy for them to get these services during the night,”Nabwire said, adding that it was a Valentine’s Day gift to the Nakiwogo fishing community.
Rose Mahoro, the head of communication at Family Medical Point said sex workers in fishing communities face numerous difficulties, adding that the outreach was specifically targeted for them.
“A 2023 study by the Uganda AIDS Commission said there are approximately 1500 sex workers in the areas of Nakiwogo, Guuda, Kasenyi and Kigungu. Many of these experience stigma and discrimination, limiting their ability to see medical help. At Family Medical Point, we believe that access to SRHR is a fundamental right to everyone. Therefore, this moonlight outreach in fishing communities is testament to the power of community -based interventions in transforming lives,” Mahoro said.
