Ezekiel Mhetu

The Relationship Between Poverty and Hiv / Aids in Zimbabwe: Unpacking the Link Between Poverty and Vulnerability to Hiv / Aids Ezekiel Mhetu

HIV/AIDS has troubled most African countries, particularly the resource strained nations of Sub-Saharan Africa. Zimbabwe, has not been spared from this crisis. This book analyses how a state of poverty which generally entails lack of resources exposes women to the risk of contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Women in Zimbabwe largely live in poverty, and as such they sometimes engage in unprotected sex as a means of survival. That trend is common in mining towns such as Renco mine, where this study was focusing on. The low levels of education among the women, which is also positively correlated with poverty was found to be among the factors responsible for vulnerability to HIV infection among women. The research recommends that the government should initiate income generating programmes for women so that they can be emancipated from poverty.