Wednesday, 14 August 2013

STRUGGLE TO THE DOLLAR BAR



By Ireri M. Mwaniki
Struggle for survival! Poverty, extreme poverty indeed is rising at alarming rates in Kyuso .With most homesteads unable to spend as much as a dollar per day, the struggle to cross this line has been getting its pace in the recent past.

Extra small businesses are looming. With most of the involved business persons unable to raise as much as fifty shillings per day, the poverty cry is still unresponded  by their tireless efforts to make the heads meet as most households have  at least  six members which is a large number to cater for.

Hawking in this region has not been recognizable; probably following small numbers practicing it. However, in the recent past, it is getting its roots deep in this region dominating the other businesses taking place deep in the villages.

Mbwani and Kalole villages have won a major recognition in this kind of business. One renowned hawker has stolen the show in these two villages and neighborhoods .His determination in his business has made him a name among the villagers. Being a father of six and having a wife to cater for pushes him even harder to keep his business moving.

The hawker has been operating in the villages for some time now. With most residents living in extreme poverty conditions, he has framed his business to suit his customer’s conditions and needs by breaking down expensive wholesale commodities like sugar, cooking fat, salt, tea leaves and other essentials into smaller and cheaper fractions.

With a kilo of sugar costing at around two hundred shillings in the normal shops, most of these villagers frequent his premises as they are probably unable to raise the money .Most stunningly, he has broken the sugar quantities to even smaller fractions going for as low as two shillings, a clear picture of the extreme poverty among most of his customers.

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