Sex workers start offering their services for as little as a plate of fufu as business dries up

ZIMBABWEAN sex workers have become so desperate for work in the current harsh economic climate that they have started offering their services for as little as a plate of food in certain parts of the country.

Currently in the grips of a terrible recession, Zimbabwe is going through tough times and sex workers have begun to run seasonal promotion campaigns reducing their charges by forty cents. However, this has not attracted the expected clientele and some of them are offering their services for as little as a plate of the local staple food commonly known as  fufu.

Apparently, most of these sex workers are teenage school drop-outs. One of the workers who did not want her name mentioned said their business is experiencing a downturn which leaves them with no option than to lower their price in order for them to remain in business.

She added that it was so difficult to get clients who are willing to offer them their normal rate hence they had to settle for anything including a plate of sadza. In addition, she revealed that things are no longer rosy for them as about five of them have to share a room.

“If you find someone who buys you sadza, you have to thank your stars for giving you a good fortune. About five of us share a single room at the motel and pay $10 per head a month each," she added.

Mberengwa, a district in Zimbabwe's Midland province is reported to be ravaged by intense hunger after a rainy season characterised with heavy flooding destroyed crops and displaced thousands of people. as a result, some of the sex workers are looking beyond their catchment area and opting to shift their base to a neighbouring community.

Older folks in the business, however, lament that the presence of the young ones in the business is making life hard for them as most clients go for the younger and fresher blood. Local residents stated, however, that they were worried about the increasing number of these sex workers as they fear that sexually transmitted diseases could be on the rise.