Self-confessed commercial s*x workers have made a passionate plea to a popular philanthropist saying they would want to get funding for income generating projects so that they can leave the oldest profession.
The philantropist speaking to the prostitutes (Photo: H-Metro)
Over 50 commercial s*x workers from the Hopley area of Zimbabwe, have on Wednesday, opened up on the challenges they face while practicising the oldest profession as they made a passionate plea to philanthropist, Dr Killer Zivhu, to get funding for income generating projects.
According to H-Metro, one of the self-confessed prostitutes, said; “My name is Anna Mutsawu I’m 59 years old; I’m a prostitute.
“I have been in this profession for many years. I can even tell you that through this profession I have managed to build my house.
“But let me also say that I want to leave all this because things are no longer okay, business is very low so I would want to get some help so that I can sustain my family through honest means.
“Let me tell you how bad things are; sometimes I sleep with a client for as little as 50 cents. Because of my advanced age, some men no longer find me attractive and some even refuse to pay me.
“Sometimes I have to stand in a dark corner so that maybe I can just get a client who will not have seriously considered me," said Anna.
Another lady who said she was the commercial s*x worker's chairperson said; “My daughter is 22 years old and I cannot continue doing this; I want to retire.
“Through some of our own initiatives of lending each other money, I managed to apply for a passport so I’m saying if I can be given money to start cross border trading, I will leave this business,” said the woman.
The women also gave accounts of how dangerous it can be as some men refuse to pay after they would have been asked to have s*x with them.
Some of the men are said to be in the habit of willingly infecting them with s*xually transmitted diseases by tearing a condom.
Dr. Zivhu told the women that through his Killer Zivhu Foundation, he would look at ways of helping them so that they once and for all leave their trade for an honest living.
He, however, said it is not good for people to judge them as many were forced by circumstances to be prostitutes.
“We should not judge these people because they did not make this choice just randomly; but it is circumstances beyond their control so I want to say let’s not condemn them.
“You know some of the people out there could have gone to school with proceeds from prostitution but it’s not something they can be proud of.
“So let’s not judge, we should be seen to help them in any way we can. There are so many risks involved, diseases, being raped and no mother would feel comfortable having kids on an empty stomach. It’s not like they enjoy selling their bodies but circumstances forced them,” said Dr Zivhu.