Solenciel was founded 10 years ago during a meeting between Rodolphe Baron and 7 Nigerian women who were prostituting themselves on the boulevards of Grenoble. They expressed a desire to leave their situation, provided they could find work. They do not speak French well, and some cannot read or write... so they are considering a " career change " into cleaning jobs.
"It was their initiative, and we simply supported them by setting up a legal structure and finding partner companies,” Rodolphe explains. These women are undocumented, so the association obtained a waiver from the Departmental Labor Directorate to be able to hire them. (Today, the association is approved under the pathways for exiting prostitution, according to the 2016 law).
Solenciel started from these women's desire to make work a driving force for leaving prostitution: « Starting from the initial need expressed by the individuals gives them a very strong energy and confidence" !
Solenciel supports women while respecting their autonomy: they remain in control of their schedules and work in offices, hotels, or in collective catering.
"Our goal is for them to be able to pursue their chosen profession, to realize that they possess skills and qualities, and that they also have desires deep down that they no longer dare to express,” concludes Rodolphe Baron.
