"If HIV were a thinking creature capable of designing the optimum conditions in which to thrive, it couldn't have devised a better situation than Zimbabwe--and indeed, most of Africa. Leaving aside the poverty and lack of general medical care caused by rampant inflation and joblessness, Zimbabwean culture has other vulnerabilities that HIV can exploit." - Carol Ezzell
This story deals with factors which increase the spread of AIDS for example the "dry sex" phenomenon, prostitution and the Sugar Daddy phenomenon.

The story also features a programme for HIV negative women, how to stay negative and investigating the different contraceptive methods’ acceptability to infection by the HIV virus.

On assignment for Scientific American Published - May 2000