Kisumu — Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) Founder and CEO Dr. Kennedy Odede has rolled out an innovative boat-riding competition at Luanda Kotieno Beach in Rarieda, Siaya County, aimed at curbing the entrenched fish-for-sex practice that has long plagued Lake Victoria's riparian communities.
The initiative comes amid growing concern that transactional sexual relationships between female fish traders and fishermen--locally known as jaboya--have fuelled economic exploitation and contributed to high rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in lakeside regions.
"This isn't just about boats. It's about dignity and opportunity. We are supporting women to conduct their fish businesses independently, without relying on men who exploit them," Dr. Odede said.
He noted that the competition marked the beginning of a broader programme set to be rolled out next year across Lake Victoria beaches in Kisumu, Homa Bay and Siaya counties.
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The jaboya practice involves female fishmongers engaging in sexual relationships with fishermen in exchange for preferential access to fish. While women dominate fish processing and retail, their limited access to fishing boats and direct catches has forced many into exploitative arrangements to secure stock.
"We are going to work with both women and men to end the fish-for-sex vice in the lakeside region," Dr. Odede added.
The boat-riding competition attracted more than 5,000 spectators, highlighting strong community interest in addressing the issue.
Research by the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) shows that HIV prevalence in lake beach communities stands at about 26.2 per cent--significantly higher than in most rural or urban areas.
Luanda Kotieno Beach Chairman George Ochieng welcomed the initiative, terming it a game changer.
"We have been grappling not only with declining fish stocks but also with the social fallout of jaboya. We are encouraging our women to work hard and avoid being exploited by men who prey on their vulnerability," he said.
Local fish trader Janet Otieno, who participated in the competition, shared a personal perspective.
"Women here constantly compete for limited fish stocks. When catches are low, the pressure increases. Some feel they have no choice but to comply with demands from fishermen who control the boats," she explained.
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Participants received life jackets, while the overall winner was awarded a boat engine to ease mobility on the lake.
SHOFCO plans to partner with county governments to offer skills training, financial literacy and health education as part of a multi-pronged strategy to dismantle the jaboya economy.
"We must address fish scarcity, women's economic marginalisation, and the lack of alternative livelihoods that push them into exploitative arrangements," Dr. Odede said.
He also called for increased investment in aquaculture and sustainable fishing technologies to boost fish supply and reduce dependence on shore-based transactional exchanges.
Studies indicate that beach communities in Nyanza may account for up to 25 per cent of new HIV infections in the region, driven in part by the mobility of fishermen and transactional sexual networks. An estimated 127,000 women in Nyanza are directly or indirectly involved in the fish trade, many facing pressure to engage in jaboya to access fish.
