UPNG SLUT DIES!

Three years have passed since I last talked to Jenny, the girl whom I interviewed at the University of Papua New Guinea. That interview was to do with my research on prostitution being practiced by female students at that institution. My research findings showed that a majority of girls where or are involved in prostitution to sustain their living during their time at the University.

It was déjà vu for me when I accidently bumped into one of Jenny’s friends, she looked so paled and so used that I could hardly believe that this was the same bouncy girl three years back. She seemed somewhat older with all freshness of youth gone. I gave her a warmth smile and she acknowledged me in return with a smile that tried to hide that sadness. Nevertheless, her eyes could not lie as I directly observed it; I could sense there was a deeper sadness than what she was portraying to me. I quickly moved over to her and stretched my hand towards her in a gesture to shake hands. She reciprocated, and we stood there in the middle of Boroko next to POST PNG staring at each other. After spending some time talking about our UNI days and what each of us was doing, she paused a while then with teary eyes said Jenny had died last month. It shook me up and I was for somewhat a second disillusion, “how can this very young and beautiful lady die so young,” I asked? Her friend replied in a sad tone that Jenny had gone back to her village after falling ill earlier this month, and after being in the village for a week, she died. I tried to press her as to what illness was Jenny diagnosed with and how she succumbed to it but was left hanging has her friend intentionally avoided my questioned and told me she had to go before she missed the bus. ....To be continued in Part 4.