Saving for a rainy day: piloting a savings intervention to reduce HIV risk among young female sex workers in Kenya

Abstract

Financial insecurity pushes female sex workers into risky sexual transactions. We piloted an economic empowerment intervention among female sex workers in Kenya to test if they could save part of their income from which to make withdrawals to avoid risky sexual encounters. We enrolled female sex workers and randomised half to the intervention arm, who were given instructions on how to save and withdraw money through a mobile platform, and half to the control arm (usual saving). Chi-square test was used to establish the association between condom use, saving and making withdrawals. We enrolled 207 female sex workers (101 in the intervention arm) aged between 18 and 24 years. Of these sex workers, 157 (75.8%) had children and 83 (40.1%) were the primary breadwinners. Of those in the intervention arm, 41 (40.6%, n=101) saved and 19 (46.3%, n=41) withdrew their savings. Withdrawing savings was significantly associated with higher condom use (X ²=7.52; p≤0.006). Female sex workers are able to save from their income, and withdraw the savings to avoid unprotected sex.