By Dalphine Tagwireyi
Minor schoolgirls in Zhombe, a rural village in the Midlands province, are allegedly dropping out of school due to hunger, to become sex workers.
The minors are allegedly charging a plate of pap or $1 (R17) per session.
A 15-year-old minor who dropped out of school because her blind mother was unable to take care of her siblings said she began sex work last year.
“We experienced a dry spell last year as we did not experience rains. As her eldest child, I had to make sure I helped her look after my siblings,” she said.
She said she has been surviving by sleeping with zamazamas who are her main clients. Depending on the season she can either get R17 or R80 including a plate of food.
“As long as my siblings go to bed full, I am satisfied, though it’s not an easy job. I rely on home-made stimulants and alcohol to be able to cope with different clients,” she said.
Zhombe traditional leader Chief Wait Ndabezinhle Gwesela told Scrolla.Africa that poor harvests over the last farming season have pushed many girls in his community into sex work and early marriages.
“Prostitution is indeed rife in Zhombe and it’s very sad to hear that young girls are engaging in such activities for small amounts or even a plate of sadza. It’s a clear indication of how bad things are in Zimbabwe.
“It’s worrying that these young girls are being lured with money by illegal gold-panners who are exploiting them. I hope this will end soon because our government recently stepped up efforts to thwart this problem by donating livestock to empower them,” he said.
The CEO of Girl Child Network, John Mujaka, said that it’s a result of poverty and hunger, leaving these young girls with no option other than selling their bodies.
“The government should strive for the betterment of our young generation’s future by creating employment for them and implementing projects that empower them, because poverty is the immediate source of these problems,” he said.
Pictured above: Zhombe Cocktail Bar
Picture credit: Dalphine Tagwireyi
