A 32-year-old self-confessed sex worker who plied her trade at Hauna Growth Point recently gave birth to triplets, two boys and a girl.
Melody Muponda said she offered her services in Manicaland and in neighbouring Mozambique before she gave birth on 2 January this year.
She gave birth to the triplets at Hauna District Hospital, with the newborn babies weighing between 1.8kg and 1.9kg each.
Narrating her story to The Manica Post in Honde Valley last week on Friday, Melody she said she has no hope of finding out who the father to her triplets is. She said:
We would go around with fellow sex workers to Penhalonga or Mozambique. We would get drunk, follow the money and get paid.
We would spend one week in one place and move to the other and even exchange partners, so I have no idea who could be the father of my triplets.
I wish there was a way to find out who he is but I am afraid I will never know.
Melody claimed in recent years she lost four children to unknown diseases.
She said her husband was a member of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church and he forbade her from taking the children to the hospital when they got sick.
Melody revealed that she eventually left her husband and ended up venturing into sex work.
She said she had to do that so that she could take care of her surviving child, her mother, and her six siblings. She said:
I believe these children are God’s smile to me. I believe He is trying to give back to me what He took.
I only became aware that I was pregnant during the fifth month of the pregnancy and never harboured thoughts of an illegal abortion.
In fact, when I discovered that I was pregnant, I was over the moon because losing four children had left me depressed. I believe that is also one of the reasons I turned to sex work.
Melody said that despite being pregnant, she continued with her work to fend for her family.
She said she is ready to start afresh and quit sex work and is appealing to well-wishers to help her with decent accommodation.
The 32-year-old is currently staying with three friends at a house named “PaGirls High” by neighbours since sex workers have lived there for a long time.
Melody is also seeking for capital to enable her to start an income-generating project that will help her look after her children.
Her mother, Alice Mangofa (46) said she wants to assist Melody in taking care of her children but cannot do so due to lack of accommodation. She said:
Just like Melody, I was married at 14 against my will, but my husband died while I was still young.
I moved back into my brother’s house who unfortunately cannot look after me, my six other children, as well as Melody and her four children.
I appeal to well-wishers to assist Melody with decent accommodation for herself and the triplets.
I am grateful that the Lord has gifted me with three grandchildren at once. Despite being poor and not being able to look after them myself, I am overjoyed as a grandmother.
God has restored what He had taken and that alone should be celebrated.
Those willing like to assist Melody Muponda can contact her on 0783626755.