Felix is a Senior High School graduate and is working to secure some money to continue her education. He tells us about how he survives in his field of work.
Street Hustle Accra: A day in the life of a mobile money agent saving for tertiary education
The subject for today's 'Street Hustle Accra' is Felix Atobrah, 19, who works as a Mobile Money (MoMo) agent.
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Morning
Usually, I wake up at 5:30 am then I take my dress up for work. I, however, make sure I have done some little chores in the house before I leave.
From the house, I go straight to my boss's house to pick money and the phones used for the business.
Then at 7am, I leave my boss's house for the shop.
When I get to work, I clean the place and make it ready for work at 8.
So exactly 8am, I begin work.
I work till about 10am, then I take my breakfast. Then work continues.
Mostly sales are quite slow from 11am so I use the time to either read something or learn. I sometimes too watch some movies on my phone.
Afternoon
Workers usually come to transaction business at this time. This mainly is because they go on a break from 12pm. So, I do most work in the afternoon too.
At about 2pm, sales get slow again so I get some snacks for lunch and then continue with either learning or watching the movies.
While I do this, people pass by to still do some transactions so it is not entirely as if I am free.
At about 4pm, sales bounce back again. The shop is close to the lorry station so people who close at that time come to keep their monies in their Momo accounts.
This time, the workload becomes more because I get a lot of money to transact.
Evening
Work gets even tightens at this time. Workers pass by, hence causing a long cue at the shop.
What's more, most market women who are unable to go to the bank to keep their money come to the shop to keep their money in their Momo accounts instead of keeping it on themselves.
So yes I get very busy at that time.
I have a scheduled time for drivers too.
I give them an hour of my time so that they can also keep their money. So from 7pm to 8pm, all the drivers who do business with me come to do them.
At least by 8:30pm, I close the shop, calculate the money earned on the day and then my boss comes for it.
So at least by 9pm, I leave the shop, go home, eat something then I rest for a while.
At 10pm, I take a shower and then go straight to bed.
Best moments
What I like most about this job is the trust you are given when you do the job well.
People give their money to me trusting that I will transact it exactly the way they want. And when I do, they give me some tips.
My boss pays me better so I have been able to save enough and just a little push will be able to sort me through school like I want to.
Challenges
People come, then they mention wrong numbers and when there is a mistake, they blame for it.
Also, it has always been dangerous counting large amounts of money in that shop. I fear robbers will just come at me so I am always alert.
It's more fearful when I am going home, people might just attack me because they might think I have the money with me.
Aside these, the job is cool and I love it.
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