As darkness falls over Nkokonjeru Street in Mbale City, several young girls aged between 15 and 16 can be seen lining the roadside, hoping to attract clients.
Behind their presence are stories of hardship, broken families and struggle for survival.
Susan, not her real name, is one of the young girls engaged in commercial sex work. She says she was introduced to the trade by friends from Busamaga Ward in the Industrial City Division in Mbale City who convinced her it was a quick way to earn money.
‘My friends told me I could make money and support myself. At the time, I had very few options,’ she says.
She says life became difficult after her parents separated and she was left living with a father who rarely provides for the family.
‘Sometimes there is no food at home. My father spends most of his time drinking and does not care much about our welfare. I had to find a way to survive,’ she says.
Mariam, also not her real name, tells a similar story. She says she dropped out of school after her parents failed to raise school fees.
She says she was later introduced to sex work by women in Bugema Ward who were already involved in the trade.
‘They told me there was no need to keep lamenting about my situation when I could earn money and take care of myself,’ she says.
Another girl, a Senior Two pupil aged 15, said she also engages in commercial sex to meet personal and school needs. She says clients pay between Shs5,000 and Shs10,000 depending on the arrangement.
Ms Ruth Apio, a resident of Nkokonjeru, said the number of young girls seen on the streets at night is worrying and reflects failure by parents to take responsibility.
Mr Joseph Okware, a bodaboda rider, said some men have abandoned families in preference for commercial sex workers, warning that this could fuel the spread of HIV/AIDS and domestic conflict.
Mr Patrick Omare, a local leader, said the practice has degraded social and moral values in the area.
Ms Agnes Kasiira, a social worker and councillor, said poverty, family breakdown and peer influence are driving young girls into prostitution, exposing them to risks including sexual exploitation, violence, unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
She called for coordinated action by parents, leaders and government agencies to protect vulnerable girls through education, guidance and economic empowerment programmes.
Mr Robert Wandwasi, the Mbale District HIV/AIDS focal person, said more than 20 percent of children in urban centres in Mbale are involved in commercial sex, and that the practice is common in trading centres along highways used by long-distance truck drivers.
He added that many of the girls come from private hostels and poorly regulated schools.
Ms Rehema Wangiro, Mbale City HIV focal person, said there is also increasing commercial sex work among men.
According to the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, child prostitution in Uganda is on the rise, with an estimated 7,000 to 12,000 juveniles engaged in risky commercial sex activities.