Two decades of conflict and insecurity have had a devastating impact on many in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including marginalised groups such as sex workers. In the province of North Kivu, many residents face desperate conditions that render them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. As a result, many turn to the sex trade in what can often be described as 'survival sex'. This small-scale qualitative study explores the experience of urban sex workers in the eastern region of the DRC. Sex workers were recruited at their place of business and asked to participate in a semi-structured interview. Eight participants were recruited, including seven women and one man. Our analysis identified several themes: (1) economic hardship as a catalyst for joining the sex trade, (2) significant work-related violence and (3) a paucity of available resources or assistance. Responses to specific prompts indicated that sex workers do not trust law enforcement and there are significant barriers to both medical care and local resources. Further studies of this vulnerable population and its needs are encouraged in order to develop programmes that provide the means to manage the hazards of their work and obtain an alternative source of income.

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Small innovative design firm tackles the challenge of creating complex cross-channel brand experiences through the application of Experience Design methodology.The key findings -The development of an experience design methodology supports a rapid and cost effective brand marketing campaign focused on defining and delivering user experiences.An integrated marketing campaign leveraging multiple marketing channels, proves extremely effective at reaching key, difficult to reach customer segments.A Web site at the core of an integrated marketing campaign fosters participatory relationships with core customer constituents while prolonging existing relationships.Testing user assumptions early and often is necessary to identify and negate detrimental usability variables.The release of various media through complementary delivery channels at specific intervals of a project lifecycle, creates a holistic brand experience for target users.

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