Street Hustle Accra: A day in the life of an egg seller trying to make ends meet

Morning

People think cooking eggs isn't very difficult, so, it doesn't need much attention but that usually isn't the case.

I wake up at 4am, do some few chores and then set my fire to cook my eggs. I usually cook about least 5 crates of eggs a day.

Once the eggs are ready, I grind my pepper and then I package it nicely in the pan. At this point, my eggs are ready for sale and this should be by 6am.

After making my food ready, I wake my child up, and then prepare him for school.

By 7am, I should be done with both myself and my son, and then I set off.

I first take him to school and then go ahead to any place with close to me where there are traffic lights or even a bus station to sell my eggs.

The morning sales are massive so I don't miss it at all. I sell till around 11 am where market is a bit down and then I buy some food to eat. This should at least cover breakfast and lunch. Then I continue to sell.

Afternoon

I sell throughout the day. The afternoon sales are quite low, people hardly buy egg during this time, so, one strategy use is, I trade around bars and food joints where people eat so that they can see me and buy some. So I trade like this throughout the afternoon till my eggs are finished. I have for some time established good relationship with food vendors, so, in situations where their eggs finish, they tend to me to give them some of mine, then I collect the money once they are done selling.

At about 3:30 to 4pm, whether my eggs are finished or not, I have to pick my son from school then head towards home.

When my eggs are finished then hurray, but when they are not, I give it out to a chop bar operator close to the house to sell them.

Evening

Because I wake up early, I try as much as possible to sleep early.

When I return from all my rounds, I prepare dinner for my son and me, we eat, take a shower and then I check if my son has some homework to do. I teach him the ones I am able to or I take him to a neighbour to teach him especially with the ones I am unable to teach him.

By 7:30pm, I should be done with all these and then stay indoors. I sometimes watch TV for some few minutes and then go to bed, at other times, I just go straight to bed.

Best moments

This job is convenient for me. I am able to cater for my son and myself.

I sell everything the very day, so, I don't worry about any sort of remaining eggs.

Also, I get some tips from customers and I make it a point to save them for my child.

Challenges

My main challenge is taking care of my son especially on Saturdays where he doesn’t attend school. I either leave him with neighbours or take him along. Either way, I have to cook fewer crates of eggs so that we can either return home early or I return home early to check on him.

I sure have big dreams and I don’t see this challenge holding me back.