Dili, December 9, 2024 (Média Democracia) – Engrácia Ximenes Castro, 25 years old from Radodo hamlet in Manatuto, currently lives in Bebonuk, Metin-hun, Dili. Her goal in selling on the roadside was encouraged by neighbors so she could meet her needs.
According to her, so far she has not had the knowledge to run a small business on the side of the road because she does not know how to open a small business, but during a month she has received motivation from her neighbors to run a small business on the side of the road.
“I didn’t know how to run a small business on the side of the road, but I got motivation from my neighbors and they gave me ideas and ways to run a business to earn money, rather than just sitting at home and not earning money. At that time I sat down and discussed with my husband whether we could run a business or not? and he answered, Yes, We can, but we don’t have money, how can we buy goods and how can we run this business. At that time, I was also asked to help my neighbors sell their goods, and they gave me goods to sell for two months, from the sale my share was the interest money and the money was to run a small business. From the money I got for two months of $80.00, I used the money to buy goods such as coffee, sugar, cigarettes, water and so on. The goods I sell depend on the buyer such as a cup of coffee for 0.25 cents and also for water and others.” She said at Farol Park
She said that she started this small business two months ago to help her husband meet their living needs.
“My husband and I have one son and he is still young, but we both have responsibilities for the family. My husband works as a builder and I and my son sell every day at Taman Farol. In the morning I prepare breakfast for all of us, then my son and I walk from Bebonuk at 08:30 to wait for a public transportation to go to Taman Farol, and we sell until the evening at 09:30 after we go home. When we go home, if we are lucky, we will take a public transportation, but if not, we have to walk from there while carrying our belongings and I have to carry my son to walk home, even though I am tired, bored, but just because I want to get money, then I have to be patient to continue to struggle to live this life even though it is hard.” She said.
She continued that her daily activity is she has to run a business to help her husband so don’t just burden her husband to earn money, how they both can work together to struggle to face this hard life. At first she felt ashamed, but if she was ashamed how she could earn money to meet her needs so she had to continue to be diligent and patient to earn a living to meet her daily needs.
Reported by : Tomas
Picture by : Tomas