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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter
SIBONOKUHLE*(14) fell pregnant after an encounter with an artisanal miner who had moved into their community sometime in May last year.

He was one of the “rich” men whose illegal mining activities at Brunapeg, Mangwe District in Plumtree, had attracted many teenagers including Sibonokuhle to shacks scattered around the area.

These shacks became slaughter houses for many vulnerable girls who often went there in search of food and a livelihood only to return with baby bumps which in turn forced them out of school.

Sibonokuhle, who is nursing a six-month-old baby, says money and promised wealth attracted her to the man who later abandoned her after she fell pregnant.

She is one of 367 teenagers aged below 16 who delivered babies in Matabeleland South from January to June this year.
Sibonokuhle’s matter was a double tragedy as the man left her without a trace, only for her to discover that all along he had used a fake identity.

Now stuck with a baby and out of school, Sibonokuhle can only wish for a miracle to be able to break free from the cycle of poverty she has entangled herself in.

Statistics from The Ministry of Health and Child Care show that from January to June of the 267 teenage pregnancies recorded in Matabeleland South, the majority of them were reported in Umzingwane (61) and Beitbridge (60) followed by Bulilima (58), Matobo (57), Gwanda (51) and Mangwe (48).

The lowest pregnancies were recorded in Insiza which had a total of 31 girls aged below 16 giving birth.

Besides the high number of teenage girls getting pregnant, Matabeleland South also has the highest HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe where it is estimated that 19,58 people are positive.

The illegal mining activities and the fact that Matabeleland South is home to more than two borders also put girls like Sibonokuhle at risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Sadly, almost all girls who fall pregnant drop out of school thereby jeopardising their chances of a better life.

“He told me that I was beautiful and that he had lots of money to take care of all my needs. I believed him and ran away from home to share a shack which he had set up near a disused mine where he spent the day looking for gold. Everything was rosy during the first three months and I was convinced that finally I had been emancipated from my poor lifestyle since both my parents are peasant farmers,” said Sibonokuhle.

“I fell pregnant and a few weeks after breaking the good news, he told me that he had to move to another mine which has more gold so that we have more money. I believed him again and that is how he left me with no trace. I stayed in the shack for some days until I realised I had been fooled and then went back to my parents who took me in. My peers are now in Form Two and here I am with a baby and no one to help in taking care of him.”

In an interview, concerned parents and guardians said the traffic and illegal mining activities had left a number of girls pregnant.

The National Aids Council co-ordinator for Mangwe Mr John Ngwenya said teenage pregnancies were reversing gains made in the district against HIV and Aids.

He said although Government and donor-funded programmes are in place to help keep girls in school, more efforts are needed to curb the scourge.

“Indeed prevalence is high but we are worried by the number of girls who keep falling pregnant and dropping out of school. This means we are taking one step forward and five steps backwards because we cannot eradicate HIV when we have people who still indulge in unsafe sex. Those who are falling pregnant are not even young women but girls who according to law cannot consent for sex and we wonder what will happen to our future because the girl child is dropping out of school — which is a guarantee of a better future,” said Mr Ngwenya.

“We call on community members to be vigilant in monitoring their children and not to trust employees who come from outside our communities as they bring business and unwanted pregnancies as well.”

The Gvernment and non-governmental organisations say Covid-19-induced lockdowns, which increased idleness, poverty and shut out many girls from accessing contraceptives, led to a steep increase in unintended pregnancies.

Mr Taungana Ndoro, communications director in the Primary and Secondary Education Ministry, said the number of girls who have dropped out of school due to teenage pregnancies in Zimbabwe is not yet readily available.

He however called on parents and guardians to ensure that girls who fall pregnant do not drop out of school as the Education Bill provides for their return.

“We have had quite a number of girls who fell pregnant because of the Covid-19-induced lockdowns. But still because of the policy that we have, this Education Amendment Act, which allows them to come back to school, we have been having community outreach programmes throughout the whole nation to encourage these learners to come back to school to continue with their education because it’s not the end of the world,” he said. — @thamamoe