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Several holidaymakers have flooded the streets of Bafoussam, commercializing petit items to raise little cash for themselves.
Set up on street corners or Hawking around, the Holiday makers sell predominantly items such as plum and plantain.
They carry food in dishes and sell to raise income to prepare for the next school year.
The poor weather is not enough to prevent Hermann and his younger brother, Junior from hustling.
“We don’t go out in the mornings because there are hardly any customers at that time of day; everyone goes about their business. On the other hand, in the evening, the crossroads is full of people and the sale is more fluid for us”, said Hermann.
Far from being a handicap for them, the freezing cold which occurs after the heavy rains which have become almost daily in recent times in the capital of the West is rather an asset.
Due to the intense cold weather, many people now opt for hot food.
“When we sell, we earn between 500 and 2000 FCFA. The profit is a function of the price of the plantain bunch. A plantain of 3000 Fcfa gives us a profit of 1,500 Fcfa” Hermann disclosed.
The income from the sale of plums can round up their daily gain to around 2000 FCFA when the “force of God” is with them.
Hermann and his brother could have gleaned better profits, but at this crossroads, these seasonal vendors and the “professionals” compete mercilessly.
Most of the time, in order not to return empty-handed, they are forced to rake wide.
“ Sometimes, some people are reluctant when I approach them. And it is with words valuing the goods that I manage to sell them”, said Junior who reveals his favorite trick to entice customers.
“I say: ‘very hot plantains, very hot plantains…plums that are not sour’…”. He tosses these words iteratively throughout his journey.
“My goal is to find money for my schooling to prepare for the start of the 2022-2023 school year,” he revealed.
By Amina Hilda.
