These children, whose mothers rely on prostitution to meet their basic needs, say their lives are difficult and emotionally painful, especially when they are forced to watch their parents having sex.

Some of these children told UKWELITIMES that their parents’ behavior causes them serious distress,particularly because some mothers don't hesitate to have sex in their children's presence.

They explained that since many live in one-room homes, their mothers often bring men into the house and engage in sex right in front of them. This has such a painful impact that many children end up running away and choosing life on the streets.

A 13-year-old boy named Muhire said he decided to leave home because his mother refused to quit prostitution.

“She would always come home with one man or even two. She would either send me outside or have sex with them in front of me. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I ran away and now I sleep in the market at Gogozi.”

A 12-year-old girl named Uwiduhaye said:

“There’s nothing more painful than watching your own mother having sex while you’re right there. For us children of sex workers, sometimes your mom brings home a man and realizes there are no condoms, so she sends you to go buy them. It breaks your heart.”

She added that she once asked her mother to tell her who her father was so she could go live with him, but her mother refused. Unable to tolerate her mother's prostitution, she chose to live on the street.

“Yes, I’m living in hardship, but it gives me peace of mind—something I never had while living with my mother.”

Mukandori, a young girl who now sleeps at the Nyabugogo Bus Station in Kimisagara Sector, also confirmed that she chose to live on the streets rather than continue living with her mother.

“I ran away from her because she always used to say, ‘If you can’t handle this, pack your things and go find somewhere else to live.’”

A sex worker named Solange also acknowledged that it’s wrong to have sex in front of children. However, she emphasized that the women who do it often have no other choice.

“When I bring a man home, I send my children to the neighbors. As for those who do it in front of their kids, it’s usually because they’re financially desperate, or the man refuses to pay for a lodge and insists on coming home. They do it just so their children can have something to eat—even though the kids might not understand what’s going on.”