Dili, November 13, 2024 (Média Democracia) – Martinho Saheliba, 79 years old from Viqueque, Ossu, has to come to Dili once a week to run his business selling tobacco on the roadside to meet his family’s needs.
According to Martinho Saheliba, he said that for years he lived as a trader with the aim of running a small business such as selling tobacco and lemongrass so that he could get some money to meet daily needs and some to send to his grandchildren to pay for their college education.
“Even though I am old, I want to be an entrepreneur because with this business I can be helped, so I don’t get sick easily because if I just stay at home I feel almost sick because I don’t do anything, so I decided that once a week I have to go to Dili to do a small business so I can get money to meet my needs and my grandchildren’s school fees.” Martinho said.
He continued, the goods purchased by the public could reach $5.00 or $10.00 but it also depends on each person’s luck because many also sell in markets, on the side of the road and other places.
“I came to Dili, I lived with my siblings in Manleuana to run a business, so at 5:00 am I always prepare the merchandise, so I can start walking, because many people look for tobacco and lemongrass in the morning. In the morning I walk from Manleuana to Tasi-tolu and in the afternoon I have to go back home for lunch. After lunch, I continue selling from Delta to Fauhada and enter the complex so that it is easy for people to buy and at 6:00 pm I have to go back home.” He added.
He added that the goods he sold were bought from other people, each stick was sold for $15.00, so he brought them to sell in Dili. He sold one stick for 0.50 cents, and other goods, one plastic for 0.25 cents, he brought to Dili and sold for 0.50 cents. He bought one plastic of tobacco for 0.50 cents, then brought it to Dili and sold it for $1.00. So, it was easy for people to buy it quickly because every two or three days he had to go back to Ossu to buy goods to sell in Dili.
“While running this business, even though the income is limited, it is not a problem for me, the important thing is that I can get money every day to meet my daily needs,” he said.
It is clear that Martinho is old but still tries hard to run a roadside business. The business he is engaged in never makes him tired or bored, but he still has hope to try to meet his daily needs.
Reported by : Nelfiano
Photo : Nelfiano