Abantwana abaleminyaka ephansi kwelitshumi lasikhombisa - 17 sebegcwele emigwaqweni ebusuku koBulawayo lapho abathengisa khona imizimba besenzela ukuziphilisa ngesikhathi umnotho wakwele Zimbabwe ugugudeka okumangalisayo.
Abanye babo baleminyaka elitshumi lantathu-13. Inengi labo kalisafundi ngenxa yokuhlupheka.
Ilanga nxa litshona esidikidikini sedolobho lakoBulawayo kubalokuxokozela amantombazana amancane semi emakhoneni emigwaqweni zalumuzi elinde ukuthengisa imzimba abanye babiza amadola eMelika amathathu - $3 ukuya emacansini.
UAmanda Dube, oleminyaka elitshumi lantathu - 13, uthi uhlangana lokuhlukunyezwa okukhulu kulumsebenzi
"Lapha mina ngidinga imali yokuziphilisa. Ngiyidinga ngokulala lamadoda njengoba ungibona. Kufuneki imali yokudla endlini, kufuneka imali. Ukuthi ngigeze ngenzeni kufuneki imali. Abazali bami babhubha. Uyakwanisa ukuthi uthole umuntu oyala ukubhadala kumbe uthole umuntu okufosayo ukuthi wenze into ongayifuniyo maybe lenze isex linga lingagqokanga ibhatshi lomkhwenyana."
UNkosazana Patience Phiri, oleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lantathu - 23, ulesicoco semfundo eseDegree in Marketing njalo sowehlukana lomkakhe yikho nje sedinga imali yokondla umntanakhe lemuli yakhe ngoba engatholi umsebenzi.
"Ngizodinga imali yabantwana. Yimi engigcine abazali, yimi engikhangele abantwana, yimi engikhangele umama lobaba endlini le-rent konke kungikhangele. Lomsebenzi ngawuqala ngemva kokutshiya umendo ngathi sengitshiy’umendo ngoba akulamsebenzi kade nga ngawudinga ama-CV endaweni ezinengi ukuthi ngimthole umsebenzi. Umsebenzi awukho."
Amanye amantombazane angena kulumsebenzi esenziwa yikuhlupheka lokuswela ukunakekelwa ngenxa yokutshiywa yizihlobo.
UBridget Moyo ngomunye wabo njalo udaniswa ngobaba abangafuni ukuhlawula lokuvikela nxa bengena emacansini.
"Ngile 14 years. Yimi engikhangele abantwana baka dadewethu owatshonayo. Abanye bayala bangadelela ngoba ngimncane but abanye baya bhadala. Ukuthi ngizakwenza kuze kube nini khonapho angikwazi. Sometimes omunye kuyakwaniseka ukudabuka iprotection, abanye bayavuma sibili kodwa abanye bayala."
Abantwana laba abanye babamba izisu, bathathe lemikhuhlane efana lengulamakhwa legcikwane le HIV.
UNkosikazi Sinatra Nyathi, umphathi weNational Aids Council koBulawayo, wethuswa linani lamantombazane amancane asebelegciwane leHIV.
"Lokhu kwenza ukuthi abantwabethu bacine abanye bezibophela. Abanye bacine bengena kuma substance and alcohol abuse abanye bebaleka emakhaya besiya emigwaqweni, abanye bebaleka becrossa amaboarder besiya kuma neighboring countries. So lolu luhlupho esihlangana lalo thina njenge sizwe seZimbabwe, ikakhulu lapha koBulawayo. Asikhuthazeni obaba, sikhuthazane njenge community yako Bulawayo ukuthi bakithi sisizeni laba abantwana. Kulokuthi sibone umfazi asiboneni umntwana ofuna uncedo."
Emnyakeni eyadlulaya ukuthengisa umzimba lokuthenga ukulala lowesifazane kwakubophisa kodwa kukhanya umthetho lowo sowatshintshwa ngoba abathengisayo abasafihli benza bengagqize qhakala. Isikhulumi sama Pholisa koBulawayo uInspector Abednicho Ncube uxwayisa amadoda la adobha abantwana engena labo emacansini.
"Njengama pholisa akoBulawayo siyananzelela ukuthi sokulabantwana abancane a ama ezistridini,ubusunanzelela ukuthi labobaba abadala aba driver amaPorschy cars babuya bame laphana bathathe abantwana labana. Eh, ngthandukuthi ngxwayise obaba abayenza njalo ukuthi ngelinye ilanga bazamangala sebebotshelwa ukudlengula ngoba I age yomntwana ma ibelow12 years ulakho ukuthi ubotshelwe irape. Ubuntu bethi singabulahli I Bulawayo ihlale iyindawo ehloniphekeleyo."
Kukhanya udubo luyaphambili kwele Zimbabwe, imsebenzi ayikho, intandane zilambile amantombazane amanengi sebebona kungcono ukudinga imali yokuthenga ukudla ngocansi. Ababona ngokuthuthuka kwabantu bathi uhulumende kumele angenele kudaba lolu ancedisa intsha lentandane eziswelayo.