From left to right: Six members of the No Sex For Fish cooperative, Nduru Beach in Kisumu, Lake Victoria, Kenya, 2019.
Even though some of their boats are now grounded, these women are part of the pioneering effort to, as Chairwoman Justine puts it, "empower women to come out from this selling sex for fish."
Every morning, women of Nduru Beach head to the shore of Lake Victoria to purchase fish from boats that have been out most of the night, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Chairwoman of the No Sex For Fish cooperative, stands by her fishing boat, Nduru Beach, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Patrick Higdon, whose name is on the boat, works for the charity World Connect, which gave the group a grant to provide boats for some of the local women.
Lake Victoria, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Member of the No Sex For Fish cooperative, Kisumu, Lake Victoria, Kenya, 2019.
Member of the No Sex For Fish cooperative, stands in her boat on Nduru Beach, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Lorine has one of the few No Sex For Fish boats that are still functioning in Nduru Beach.
Fishing nets need constant repair and are expensive to replace. After a fishing expedition, the crew lays its nets out on the shore to dry, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Lake Victoria, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Nduru Beach, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Lake Victoria, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Justine in her living room, Nduru Beach, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
A framed certificate naming her "Inspirational Woman of the Year 2014" hangs on the wall.
Mark keeps careful financial records of profits and expenses for the No Sex For Fish coop, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Naomy with two of her children at home, Nduru beach, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
When Naomy's boat was grounded, she says, "I was very discouraged. Because the money I was getting ... I was using to pay for my firstborn's school fees."
Nduru Beach, Lace Victoria, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Brightone (right) and a fellow fisherman at Nduru Beach, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Brightone says he has been part of the jaboya practice — asking for sex before giving some of his catch to a woman fishmonger.
Naomy prepares fish at her "motel", the local name for restaurant, Nduru beach in Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Naomy, a widowed mother of eight, got her own boat through the No Sex For Fish project, but after a couple of years it was grounded. "My heart was broken, and I felt low," says Naomy, who now buys fish that she fries and sells at the market.
Milka, stands on Nduru Beach, surrounded by fishing nets, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.
Like many women in Nduru Beach, Milka earns money to support her family by cleaning and selling fish.
From left to right: Ester, Cornelia & Risper, Sangorota Beach, Kisumu, Kenya, 2019.