Sex Worker Zine Project

ANNA: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

ANNA: NARRATIVE Improved Access to Health Care Hello, My name is Anna and I am from a village in the western area of the small town of Makhado located in Limpopo, South Africa. I am a single mother of one boy.

I want to tell you about my life because when I was young my mother passed away and then my father married another wife who was so evil. I thought that she was my mother until my young sister started school and I was not going to school. I was a maid in my father's house and that is when I discovered that she was not my real mother.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

ARNOLD: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

ARNOLD: NARRATIVE A Thorn in the Flesh: Mupfa Kha Nama Hello, My name is Arnold and I am a 23-year-old gay sex worker.

I am from a very rural area in Limpopo (South Africa).

I am very angry about the stigma and discrimination that gay sex workers like me face.

I want to tell you that gay sex workers face many challenges. People call us names and we are not accepted in society.

Some gay sex workers have depression and many have even committed suicide because of such bad treatment.

In this zine, you will learn about being a gay sex worker. Me being a sex worker is my choice and no one should judge me.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

JOYCE: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

JOYCE: NARRATIVE Be Strong, Con dent and Survive Hallo!

My name is Joyce. I am the rst born in a family of give people: one young sister and three young brothers. I am a single mother of one beautiful daughter.

I want to tell you about the challenges that I have faced with my family.

In this zine, you will learn more about my life; about how my stepfather chased me out of my home; how I became homeless and about how I had to drop out of school as a result. You will also learn that this experience led me to sex work.

I think this is important because there are many people in this world who face challenges and I know that I am not the only one who has survived diďŹƒculties in life.

My hope is that if someone who reads this zine has experienced something like me that they will not feel alone. If you have con dence you can survive.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

KATLEGO: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

KATLEGO: NARRATIVE My Fallen Rose Of Red: This is an untold story.

My name is Katlego.

I am from the Northwest province from a town called Kleksdorp. I am the last-born child in a family of six: two girls and three boys.

I want to tell you about the grief that I experienced after the death of my mother; whom I deeply loved.

In this zine, you will learn how I coped with the pain and the loneliness after she left me and how I survived the trauma.

I think that this is important because everyone experiences loss and in my community we don't talk about this often.

Hopefully my story will help someone, anyone- anywhere- that has lost a family member, a friend or a spouse.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

LINDA: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

LINDA: NARRATIVE My Journey For Money Hellow.

My name is Linda Nduna. I am a mother of two and sister of six. I was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and lived there until I was 20 years old. I am currently living in the City of Gold- Johannesburg, South Africa.

I want to tell you about how and why I came to South Africa.

I have faced a lot of challenges in my life that led me to move to South Africa.

In this zine, you are going to learn about my journey to South Africa. It was not an easy one. It's important that you learn how migrants suer when they move from their countries of origin to another country in search of greener pastures.

It was not because I didn't want to stay in my country but because of poverty. I want to be with my family but I also have to take care of them.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

MEME: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

MEME: NARRATIVE My Journey For Money Hello, My name is Meme. I am from a beautiful Venda village that my family has lived in for hundreds of years, in the Limpopo province.

I am a mother of two very nice and educated boys.

I wan to tell you about how I became HIV positive. I think that this is important because too many people are getting infected because they don't have knowledge about prevention.

I hope that you like my zine.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

MUFFIN: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

MUFFIN: NARRATIVE Forced Marriage Hello!

My name is MuďŹƒn. I am from the rst village south of Thouyandou- a town in the Limpopo province of South Africa.

I am a beautiful, charming, and loveable mother of ve. I want to tell you about my forced marriage.

In this zine, I will share what this meant for my life and where it has taken me.

Just because of money my mother forced me to get married.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

SUZY: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

SUZY: NARRATIVE A Little Girl Who is Facing a lot of Challenges Hello, My name is Suzy. I am from a beautiful small village outside of Makhado in Limpopo, South Africa. I am a mother of two children: one son and one daughter.

I want to tell you about he abuse that I faced in my childhood. This abuse was the hardest thing that I have had to live with. I want to share my story of survival with people in the world so that it can help others that experience the same challenges as me. I want people to know that they are not alone and that they are not the only people who are living with this horrible experience. I also want abuse to stop.

In this zine, you will learn about an abused girl with one to tell. My story is important because some kids who are abused end up killing themselves because they have no one to share their pain with and this is not okay.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

POPPY: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

POPPY: NARRATIVE A Market Celler: A Battleground about Sex Work and Culture Hallo, My name is Poppy. I am a 32-year-old mother of one beautiful and ever-smiling 14-year-old girl. I am from a rural village outside of Thouyandou in the beautiful, not rich province of Limpopo, South Africa.

This story is about my sex work and tradition as a black African Venda woman.

I was born and raised in a rural area. I know my tradition very well and the consequences of breaking the customary law.

Sex work is taboo in our Province. Dierent types of abuse happen at our working places. People call us very bad names like magosha, hule, and many more.

I want to tell you about sex work and culture and the challenges that sex workers face on the street because of the stigma and discrimination of my work.

I think that this is important because people in the community call me names and make me feel uncomfortable. I am living under pressure so I need to hide myself because of the tradition and the laws that criminalise sex work.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

SAKISI: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

SAKISI: NARRATIVE A Strong Sex Worker Hello.

My name is Sakisi Nhenga, and I am a mother of two. I stay in Makahdo: a town in Limpopo, South Africa.

I am from Masvingo, Zimbabwe.

I want to tell you about my life as a sex worker.

I want everyone to know sex work is a dangerous job. We work with dierent men and some are robbers, killers, and 'totsis'.

In this zine, you will learn a lot about me.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

TENDAI: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

TENDAI: NARRATIVE Sex Work and Health Issues Hello, My name is Tendai. I am originally from Gweru- a city in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe.

I am writing as a site coordinator for the Red Umbrella Project in Makhado- a town in the Limpopo province of South Africa that I have been living in since 2014. In this capacity, I work with sex workers and advocate for their human rights needs, including health access.

I am very frustrated with health care providers. Most of them don't treat sex workers with dignity. They stigmatise sex workers when they go to the clinic; they give paracetomol (aspirin) instead of antibiotics when they have an STI (sexually transmitted infection). Some of the sex workers are now defaulting on their ART (anti-retroviral therapy) treatment because they are afraid of being stigmatised by health workers.

In this zine, you will learn about the importance of treating sex workers with dignity. This is important because it can help with the ght against HIV. And, importantly, it is a human rights issue.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

TSHIDI: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

TSHIDI: NARRATIVE Love But Leave Room for Disappointment My name is Tshidi. I am from the small town of Biaba on the outskirts of Makhado, also known as Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo province of South Africa.

I want to tell you my story about how I was betrayed by a man that I had given my heart to.

In this zine, you will learn about love and betrayal.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

ZODWA: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

ZODWA: NARRATIVE Hardship Faced By Villagers My name is Zodwa. I am a 34-year-old woman from Gootpan- a very small rural South African town on the border of Botswana.

I want to tell you about this place- Gootpan- where I come from. I want the government to help address the needs of the community. There is a shortage of water and electricity; the roads are not tarried, and there is no public transport available.

In this zine, you will learn about life in the village and the challenges of not having water, and everything else.

I think that this is important because the government has to know about the villages that are outside of cities. People are suering in these places.

We are all South Africans and we deserve to have better living conditions.

Zine Making Workshop, Makhado, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

DOE DOE: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

DOE DOE: NARRATIVE Don't Judge Me Just Because I Am A Sex Worker!

Hi Readers!

I am Doe-Doe Shy. I am a mother of three kids and I live in Mpumalanga- a South African province that shares a border with Mozambique and Swaziland. I am not working now.

I am a tall and dark beautiful lady, and I am a peaceful woman. I speak Siswati and English.

I like myself and I am proud of what I do.

In this zine, I am going to tell you about the judgment of sex workers.

Many people call sex workers many bad names but people who sell sex are human beings who deserve to be respected.

I think that this is important because most people don't know about our lives and if you don't know then you can never understand what we face and why we do what we do.

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

LEBO: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

LEBO: NARRATIVE Bad Teacher: You Can Talk What You Want, Say What You Want, You Are Not Gonna Change Me 'cause This Is Who I Am. This Is Who I Am. This Is Who I Am. Hi readers‌ I'm Lebo. I am a gay guy who is proud of herself. I am a humble person who is always happy. I love music and I love to dance. I come from the Freestate province in South Africa but now I live in Mpumalanga. I want to tell you about the story of my life as a student.

From the time that I was very little I always liked wearing girls clothes. And, it was not a problem. Until I attended Ithabiseng Secondary School no one cared about the way that I dressed. I like wearing earrings, weaves, and mini skirts.

But, when I started matric at the age of sixteen, things became challenging.

It was a hurtful, painful, stressful, and depressive time in my life. I didn't enjoy matric like the other kids. I was harassed by a teacher and this person made my life hell. So much so that I didn't pass matric the way that I expected myself to. I could have had better scores if I wasn't under so much stress.

I am happy that I am out of that school now. I don't have stress or hurt.

I enjoy my life.

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

DULADULA: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

DULADULA: NARRATIVE My Father and Mother Divorced Hi everyone, My name is Duladula. I am a tall and fat 34-year-old Swazi speaking single mother of a beautiful daughter. I am strong and hard working. I am beautiful. And I am a sex worker.

In this zine, I am going to tell you about growing up in many houses and how living in a home with a loveless stepmother caused me much pain and struggle. I am going to tell you how my father failed me because he never believed me, instead he believed his wife and this was too painful for me.

I think this is important for you to learn about because too many children suer like me and they have no one in their lives to protect and teach them.

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

FREEDOM: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

FREEDOM: NARRATIVE Dear Community, I Need a Meeting!

My name is Freedom.

I live in a small village in the rural Mpumalanga province of South Africa. I was born in Gauteng- the province- where the City of Gold- Johannesburg lives.

I am a strong and clever 31-year-old woman. I am dark and beautiful and I love the way that I am. I am a mother and sister of three women.

I am a hard working sex worker.

In this zine, you will learn about how my community calls me bad names. My community must know the good things about me so that they can stop calling me the wrong names.

I think that this is important because these bad names are not good for me or for my children.

I will never give up on life. Never. Never. But the community must stop with their nonsense.

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

HLA: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

HLA: NARRATIVE From Zero to Hero Hi. My name is Hla. I am special.

I am a human being.

I am a mother of a 4-year-old girl.

I am a sister, aunty, and a friend.

I am creative. I do woolen shoes.

I speak four languages.

I am black; dark in completion and I love my skin colour.

I am in love with my life.

I am a ghter and a winner and I am me.

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

KAGEE: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

KAGEE: NARRATIVE Do You Hear Them Cry South Africa?

Hello…

My name is Kagee R. I am a 29-year-old male sex worker from Carltonville, Gauteng (South Africa). I have been working as a sex worker for 15 years. During this time I have experienced a lot of different forms of abuse. The abuse that I wan to focus on in this zine is the abuse made by those in positions of power.

I want to tell you how police abuse their power; how medical treatment staffs abuse their power; how brothel owners and hotel managers abuse their power; how clients abuse their power; and how society sometimes abuses its power.

It is important for me to share this with you because many people don't understand how power and abuse are connected. Another reason that this is important, is because there are many sex workers out there that do not know their human rights and this zine will provide some information on sex worker- HUMAN rights.

In this zine, will learn how police pro le sex workers, including special ways of pro ling transgender and non-national migrant sex workers. You will learn how police unlawfully arrest sex workers, detain them for longer periods of time than others sex workers, and how they refuse them basic human rights when they are arrested.

My hope is that you learn something that you didn't know before- sex worker, or not.

Human Rights ARE Human Rights and sex workers are human!

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

KG LOO: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

KG LOO: NARRATIVE It's About Being Free And Safe To Be Who You Are!: We Gay. We Sell Sex. Get Over It! My name is K.G Loo. I am from a small town outside of White River in Mpumalanga, South Africa. I am an MSM (man who sleeps with men) and I am a sex worker.

I am very powerful and con dent about the work and things that I do.

I want to share with the world about the dangers that we go through as sex workers on the street. I also want to share with the sex workers about the ways that we can protect ourselves.

In this zine, you will learn about the importance of being a safe sex worker and you will learn ways that can help to protect you.

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

LESS: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

LESS: NARRATIVE Hurt By The System Hi South African Police services, My name is Less. I am a social activist; godfather, brother, grandson, service provider for pleasure seekers, and a comforter. I come from a small town called Malelane in Mpumalanga, South Africa. This town is on the border of the majestic Kruger National Park and Swaziland and Mozambique.

I wan to tell you about the cruelty and human rights violations that you are committing as police towards certain key populations, such as sex workers, transgender people, and gay people. What happened to your slogan, which says that you serve to protect? My expectation is that you are required to unilaterally target oenders. Or, is there a higher victimisation risk in places where a person is a sex worker and trans? Why are you treating sex workers and transgender people in a more severe and inhuman way? What is it about us that bothers you so much?

In this zine, you will learn why it is important for you (South African Police service providers) to serve equally and lesson the secondary victimisation experienced by sex workers. As well as protect the fundamental human rights of all South African citizens.

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

LINDA: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

LINDA: NARRATIVE Maghosa's Pride My name is Linda and I am a mother of two boys.

I come from Zimbabwe.

I want to tell you about what is happening in the sex work industry.

I think that this is important because it's going to help other sex workers, both young and old, and those who want to join this industry.

In this zine, you will learn that sex worker is a human being: a mother who is sending her kids to school.

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

MY BABY: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

MY BABY: NARRATIVE I Suered Until I Got Success Hi everyone--My name is My Baby. I am a beautiful and strong Zulu woman. I come from Mpumalanga- a rural province in South Africa. I am a sister of three. I am also an orphan that loves to listen to gospel music.

I want to tell you how I became a sex worker. After a big tragedy in my life, I needed to nd a way to feed myself, and my family. I think that this is important because I am not a sex worker for fun. I am doing this because I need to live and survive.

In this zine, you will learn that sex work made my life better.

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

NOTHANDO: ZINE

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT

NOTHANDO: NARRATIVE An Abused Child Hi - my name is Nothando. I am a strong and hard-working woman. I have two children. I am proud of my life. I come from a small town in Mpumalanga, South Africa. I want to tell you about how I got into sex work and how I have made a good life for myself.

Through sex work I have built a house for myself and I help my family.

In this zine, you will learn a little about my life and what made me go into sex work. I will also tell you about how important it is for sex workers to use their money to help themselves by saving and building a house. I think that this is important because no matter what someone goes through there are ways to free yourself from abuse and become independent.

Zine Making Workshop, Nelspruit, 2015

SEX WORKER ZINE PROJECT