WHO WE ARE

SWEAT has a 20-year history in organising sex workers, advocating for and delivering services to South African Sex Workers. We have facilitated birth of two movements – a Pan African Alliance of sex workers (African Sex Worker Alliance) and a national movement of sex workers called Sisonke. ASWA is now an independent organisation based in Kenya, and Sisonke is moving towards its own independence in South Africa. Our vision is: A South Africa where people who choose to sell sex are able to enjoy freedom, rights and human dignity. SWEAT uses an evidence informed human rights based approach to address sex workers’ health. We embrace the concept of wellness – which requires the active participation of sex workers in becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness goes beyond merely the absence of disease – it includes physical, mental, and social well-being.