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Journey to Kunming: Migrant Women and AIDS
By Elsa Fan
2008
Elsa Fan is the Small Grants Program Coordinator for ARFC. In the summer of 2008, she visited Kunming, Yunnan, where she met one of ARFC's grantees working with female migrant workers in an urban ghetto.
"See the woman knitting? This means they are 'open for business'" whispered the director of the Women Migrant Education Professional Society, as we prepared to walk down a small alley. Located at the outskirts of Kunming in Yunnan province, I went with one of our grantees to visit the migrant communities in which they worked. I was warned not to try and speak with any of the women as we ventured down this small alley, which was known in and around the community as the red light district, populated primarily by sex workers and frequented by their customers.
As we walked down the alley, there were women sitting on the stoop knitting. It was an utterly moving picture- many of these women had come from different parts of the country, and stymied by lack of opportunity, support and income, have turned to sex work in order to make ends meet. I was told by the organization that this area was known for older women, so the clients tended to be much poorer and of lower status, which also meant that they got paid (or were valued) less; in another area the girls were younger, and were frequented by richer men who would pay more. It was heartbreaking to imagine that women were treated as such commodities.
Along the way, we met with one of their members of the grantee, a young girl in her early 20's who ran her own dry cleaning business, right at the entryway to this small alley. Part of her responsibilities as a member is to educate and raise awareness about different issues, including HIV/AIDS. Here, at her small stand, were condoms, as well as pamphlets and information to hand out to her customers. This is what makes the Women Migrant Center unique. They recognize the challenges of penetrating these communities, and work closely with members within the community who are linked into the migrant networks to get their message out, to provide much needed support to these communities and raise awareness about critical issues such as HIV/AIDS and health advocacy.
ARFC is currently supporting the organization to further extend their services to migrant women, by offering skills development training to women in the community in order to increase their income generation opportunities. As part of this program, they have formed partnerships with local businesses in order to provide these skills, and have fostered a strong working relationship with local authorities to support this initiative.
As I continued to talk with a former mama-san, or the woman who ran her own hotel, all members of the organization, I realized how critical it was not only to engage with communities, but to embrace them as part of the solution. Each of these women were actively involved in the programs, and it was tremendous watching the commitment and dedication with which they worked. It is with such fervor and engagement that ARFC continues to support innovative organizations with our small grants scheme, and making an impact to alleviate HIV/AIDS.