Have you ever attempted to buy condoms? Do you get this kind of frustration because you don’t have a condom when you need it? And when you go in the shop you ended up buying something else because you don’t need others to notice?
To be frank, buying a condom is not an easy job here in Kigali even in the countryside. In this story, we are going to hear the story behind the young boy from around Kigali who struggled to buy condoms.
“One day my girlfriend paid me a visit and because we were mature, we agreed to have sex, unfortunately, I didn’t buy condoms in advance. I just left her in a room and got out to a small shop near the home, when I got there, there were like 3 clients, some of them know me, I was ashamed to say aloud what I was looking for and at the same time I was in rush to back, otherwise my love should change her mind… other clients seemed not to hurry as I was… finally I ended up buying some Bananas and got back home… That was the worst day of my life.” Ryan from Kicukiro said
“I went to a shop in my village and it was the first time to buy a condom when I get there, there was a kid like 12 years and I didn’t them to notice that I came to buy a condom, I waited for them to leave but they didn’t then I was like “give me that thing of adult, I was pointing my finger where the condoms were but the man seemed not to know what I mean and I spent there like one hour,” Emmy said
“When I need a condom, I just use my trick, I can’t go in the shop or supermarket to buy condoms, I just take a child we just meet and I give him like 500FRW to buy for me” Eric stated
“I went to a shop and when I got in, I found out that there was a cute girl there, I was anxious to say what I wanted and I bought soap. That wasn’t nice. “ Jean Cloude from Nyamirambo said.
“ The day before one of my girlfriends came to visit me, I set up everything and I went to buy a condom in a shop near the home, then I got in there, a girl was the one who should give it to me… I was like I need a kind thing like that one at the top of …. Of my God I actually need condoms… and she was like what? She just gave me a condom while smiling and trying to seduce me? Patrick from Gikondo said
“We agreed with own of the shop that when I just want them I will say like, I need that thing, he already knows what I mean and he just covers it like bread and no one can find out” Kevin from Remera
“I live in Kigali but I make sure I buy Condoms from the countryside where they don’t know me, I used to buy them from Kayonza, Just make sure that there is no one in a shop and just buy more packs” Bosco from Gikondo
“I can’t buy condoms, I think boys should buy them, what can I say in there? what if people notice me buying them? I never buy it” Nelly from Rwampara
“I buy it like another thing in the shop, I don’t feel ashamed because am a married man and I know it is contraceptive stuff. I usually buy in a supermarket or Pharmacy” Papa Kevin from Remera
Why people scare to buy a condom
Buying condoms means wanting sex and many people are uncomfortable with sharing that particular here in Rwanda where we still stick to our culture. In modern society, sex culture continues to be stigmatized which dictates what is acceptable and unacceptable in expressing your sexuality.
On another hand, according to science” sex is expected and needed for our health”, particularly for married couples and other ones who are agreed and have a certain age. This depends on the country’s law about intimacy. According to the Law of Rwanda, the Age of Consent in Rwanda is 18 years old. The age of consent is the minimum age at which an individual is considered legally old enough to consent to participation in sexual activity.
Why we should not be scared of buying condoms at all
A condom is a sheath-shaped barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infections. There are both male and female condoms. Using Condoms is a reliable method of preventing pregnancy and protecting both partners from STIs, including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV. If you think about sex, consider a condom too.
