Tanzania, a country located in East Africa, has a large and growing population of commercial sex workers. According to estimates, there are over 100,000 sex workers in the country, with a significant proportion operating in urban areas such as Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Mwanza. Kuma za malaya, as they are commonly referred to in Swahili, are often forced into sex work due to poverty, lack of education, and limited economic opportunities.
There are various organizations and initiatives working to support sex workers in Tanzania. These include: