The African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA) proudly celebrates Silvia Okoth, a faculty member of the Africa Leadership Sex Workers Academy (ALESWA) and Advocacy & Policy Manager at the Bar Hostess Empowerment & Support Programme (BHESP), a proud ASWA member organization, for being named one of the 2025 Phil Harvey Innovation Award winners.
The Phil Harvey Innovation Award, established at the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) in 2022, honors the legacy of Phil Harvey, the visionary founder of DKT International. The award recognizes individuals and organizations demonstrating bold leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in marginalized and underserved communities.
Silvia was recognized for her groundbreaking initiative, “Dumpsite Dadas: Reclaiming SRHR for Kenya’s Most Forgotten Women.” The project delivers sex-positive, peer-led SRHR services to women and girls living in dumpsites and on the streets who are often excluded from mainstream health systems.
In her moving acceptance speech at the ICFP 2025 ceremony in Bogotá, Colombia, Silvia shared the deep personal motivation behind her work:
“This award is just a reminder that our work is seen outside there, and that you believe in our future. Today, I stand as a symbol of hope for young girls like me, in all our diversity — including sex workers, bar hostesses, LGBTQ women, young mothers, and women living with HIV — who fight every day for dignity in the harshest conditions.
She described the harsh realities of life at the dumpsite — home to more than 5,000 families — where many young women “trade sex just to survive for food, safety, and shelter” and continue to face stigma, violence, and lack of access to essential SRHR services.
Silvia’s words captured the resilience of her community and the transformative power of turning pain into purpose:
“This award reminds me that our stories, no matter how painful, can still become a source of power. To every young woman on the street or in the dumpsite — you matter. You have the right to health, to safety, and to make choices about your body and your future.”
She concluded by expressing gratitude to DKT International and BHESP’s Executive Director, Peninah Mwangi, saying:
“Thank you, DKT International, for believing in our vision, for standing with us as we turn pain into purpose and resilience into power. To our Director, Peninah Mwangi — thank you for believing in us, even when there was no funding, and for using your own savings to ensure that we received the bare minimum of sexual and reproductive health services in the dumpsite.”
Silvia’s recognition underscores the strength of community-led innovations and the impact of sex worker-led leadership in driving equitable SRHR access across Africa.
“Silvia’s achievement is a moment of immense pride for the entire ASWA family,” said ASWA Regional Coordinator Grace Kamau. “Her work embodies the vision of ALESWA — empowering leaders who drive change, amplify marginalized voices, and advance the dignity and rights of all sex workers.”
ASWA congratulates Silvia Okoth, BHESP, and the entire ALESWA community for this remarkable milestone — a testament to the courage, innovation, and leadership that define Africa’s sex worker movement.
