Themes

Notes

Verbatim from Interviews and FGDs

Gambling

· Gambling was highlighted as an activity that students are now engaging in as a source of income. 9 out of 18 students that participated in the study acknowledged that most of their male colleagues had engaged in this form of fundraising.

· They cited that gambling was done in various forms such as sports betting and playing cards among others.

· The practice was established to be common among male students.

“I spend not less than three hours of playing cards every day on campus because there are always wins and losses and in a case where you lose, in the quest to recover what you lost or make some good money you need some good time dedicated to the venture.

Small Businesses

· The scrapping off of meal allowances has resulted in some students being involved in small businesses ranging from the selling of clothes, foodstuffs such as bread, drinks, rice, vegetables like tomatoes and onions, and other basic needs like bathing and washing soap which enable them to have income for meals

· However, it was against the University of Zambia’s policy for students to conduct unregistered businesses on campus.

“I go to Soweto market ( the single largest Market in Zambia) at least twice in a month to order second-hand clothes which I resale to my fellow students so that I raise some money for my meals and other expenses”

Part-time Jobs

· It was established that there was an increasing number of students undertaking paid part-time jobs during term time.

· Thus, part-time jobs were cited as a source of income for students as this would earn them an income and help to cater for their meals.

“I teach tuitions at the private school in Kalingalinga compound during the semester and this is a big challenge for me because the job takes up most of my precious time for studying”.

“Last holiday I was doing a part-time job as a bus conductor just to raise money for my living expenses; it is tough to stay on campus without meal allowances”.

Illicit sex

· There was an observation that the scrapping off of meal allowances on first-year students had led to increased prostitution especially among female students.

· Four female students mentioned that they observed some of their friends would practically indulgence in prostitution

“My roommate goes to drinking places especially on Fridays and weekends to find men who will request to have sex with her in exchange for money, and nearly every week her fridge is always full and she buys expensive clothes. I was also forced to think of engaging in the act because I observed how it paid my friend but my conscious failed me’’

Renting out bed spaces

· Few students that were accommodated indicated that illegal renting out of bed spaces produced some survival income.

· Due to the removal of meal allowance first-year students who are accommodated have taken advantage of their accommodation status on campus by entitling themselves as landlords and charging their fellow students’ exorbitant fees to raise money for incomes.

“I rented out my room for a semester at cost of K7000 (480$) because it was the only way I could make money and feed myself as I come from a poor family and vulnerable home.”

Politics (Caderism)

· The study established that students have affiliated themselves to different political parties to get involved in branch party activities on campus simply because these activities are funded.

· The fund they receive in terms of allowance is what had helped some to cater for their meals and other living expenses.

“I joined The Patriotic Front Party which involves me in a lot of party activities and government-related programmes from which I receive some allowances upon the end of every operation that is the money I use for my living expense”.

Parents/

guardians

10 out of the 18 respondents that were interviewed and those who participated in the focused group reported that they did not have any other means of generating income to cover for their living expenses apart from depending on what their guardians and parents sent for them from home.

“I count on my single mother to provide for all my living expenses, but sometimes she also gets constrained because of other responsibilities she has back home and in such a case I am forced to borrow from my friends”