ADVERTISEMENT

Street Hustle Accra: A day in the life of a widow frying cookies to cater for family

The subject for today's 'Street Hustle Accra', a trader, Agnes Mensah tells us about how she survives in life with her field of work.

Street Hustle Accra: A day in the life of a widow frying cookies to cater for family

Agnes is a widow who fries cookies and distributes them to make ends meet for her family.

My usual wake up time is 5 am. When I wake up I do my normal routine like bathing, brushing and getting ready for the day.

At about 6 to 6:30 am, I pack my flour and take it to the flour mill for mixing. I go early because a lot of people come around and it’s first come first serve so I get there early so that I can finish quickly and then come home to fry my cookies.

ADVERTISEMENT

By 10 am, I return home and set my equipment up for business. So, I set up, call some other ladies who help me cut the mixed flour into the shapes I want.

I virtually use the whole morning setting up and making sure everything is in place for the frying process to start.

So in the afternoon, I begin to fry my cookies. I set up more fire so that I finish the frying quickly since I do it in large quantities.

ADVERTISEMENT

I use at most 3 hours to finish the frying and then I dry the cookies a little to make it cool and easy to pack.

So around 3 pm, I should have fried enough for packaging. Most of my clients come around 4 pm so I can at least package enough for them to buy and then go to sell.

Lastest by 5 pm, I should be able to package everything and then distribute most to my clients.

I also save the remaining for the next morning so that my clients who couldn’t pick theirs in the afternoon can do so.

Because I do the frying at home, I quickly cook dinner after packaging the cookies so that my children can eat.

ADVERTISEMENT

I should be able to at least get gone with everything by 7 pm. Then my daughter helps me to quickly wash the equipment used in preparing the cookies and then I can bath and rest.

At 8 pm I am certain to be done because I have this telenovela I don’t miss.

It’s an hour programme so I watch it after washing the utensils, then I tidy up my room and then shower.

ADVERTISEMENT

Between 9:30 to 10 pm, I should be in bed and probably sleep.

The mere fact that I work from home is enough for me. I am able to monitor my children and check them as and when necessary.

Also, this work fetches a lot of income and so I hardly have to go out begging family and friends so I can be able to cater for my family.

ADVERTISEMENT

I have two off days in the week so I rest. I eat some of the cookies, give my children some and even give friends yet I am able to make the money I spend in its preparation and make enough profit as well.

I am indeed glad to have ventured into such business.

I have to be seated almost all day and this really affects my waist.

But my biggest challenge is when my clients don’t show up to pick the food for sale and I have to make sure I sell them.

ADVERTISEMENT

I either ask my daughter to go and sell it or I do during my off days so this certainly mean I will not have enough time to rest for the days where I have to fry.

Despite these challenges, I have come to understand that to be able to make it in life, one should be able to strive hard to get to that destination so I never give up. If it means carrying the cookies on my head to sell, I gladly do it.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh

ADVERTISEMENT