Commercial activities’ history started with trade by barter. It is a system whereby you exchange what you have for what you want. The system went into extinction with the advent of money.
But if you think that is the end of trade by barter, you sure got another thing coming. That system has been actively resuscitated in Zimbabwe/
According to reports, prostitutes in the land of late Pan Africanist, Robert Mugabe have devised a means of payment that suits their enviroment. They now accept buckets of maize and cups of beans as payment from their cash-strapped male clients in Dema Growth Point, Zimbabwe. What an ingeneous way to go round a problem.
Since food is compulsory, the prostitutes in their desperation to fend for their starving families, would rather exchange their priced possesion for a bucket of maize or beans. They, however appealed to the government and other organizations for low-interest loans to start income-generating projects.
One of the sex workers who only identified herself as Alice, said: “Gone are the days when we used to charge US$5 for the whole night. These days even one dollar is accepted, so that you are able to buy vegetables and tomatoes and cook something for your starving children.”
Alice disclosed that she has three children, one of which is in Form 4. The child needs ZIMSEC (Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council) registration fees while the other kids are in Grade 7 and Grade One.
She added; “I now even accept a bucket of maize or cups of dried beans as payment for sex services. At least I am assured that my kids will have porridge.”
Another sex worker only identified as Mavis said she could have opted to be a house helper. She however said locals don’t pay.
The sex workers who spoke to the publication, were attending a Key Affected Populations (KAP) workshop meant to find ways of reducing HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The seminar was convened by the National Aids Council (NAC) at Dema Growth Point.
