Since time immemorial, sugar daddies have always been a problem society had to grapple with but of late, Bulawayo has waken up to the problem of sugar mummies.
sugar mummies are threatening to reverse Zimbabwe’s gains in the fight against HIV/Aids with quite number of adolescent boys confessing to have bedded older women for cash and other material things.
A teacher at Njube High School, Luckson Bashoma recently told a National Aids Council (NAC) meeting in Bulawayo that adolescent boys mostly from child headed families were involved in relationships with sugar mummies due to poverty.
“I discovered many boys were not aware that engaging in sexual activities with someone way older than them increased their risk to HIV,
“It’s a pity that our boys think sugar mummies are safe and acceptable unlike girls who have always been discouraged from having sugar daddies,” said Mr Bashoma.
He attributed the disparaging act to poverty which he said is one of the key drivers of these relationships.
Grassroots Soccer senior coach, Sandisiwe Ncube who trains 100 school girls at the Gwabalanda Football for Hope Centre expressed concern over the worrying trend of adolescent boys and girls dating older men and women for money.
“Poverty is the major challenge and since most of the children come from child-headed families, they always have to make ends meets,
“They need to secure food for themselves, pads and even fees for themselves and the younger siblings,” Ncube.
She added that they are teaching adolescent boys and girls the effects of certain choices they make in life including hooking up with sugar daddies and mummies.
“We try and reach out but it is evident that most of them have made up their minds,
“We have discovered that these girls start engaging in sex as early as 12 though some hide and pretend they are not indulging,” added Ncube.
