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Hajia Alima is a family woman, she sells Waakye by the roadside to make ends meet. Interestingly, she has been selling the food for over 20 years.
Morning
My daily routine begins at 4am when my alarm beeps. I wake up at this time to cook my beans because it is the tedious part of my work. So, I set my fire, wash the beans that I dissolved the night before and then put it on fire.
After putting the beans on fire, I begin to prepare my stew and shito.
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While I realise the beans in okay to add the rice, I add and then continue the stew and shito.
I have two of my siblings who help me prepare the food.
By 6am, my siblings leave me so that they can prepare for school so I am left alone to finish up and the go to the roadside.
But as at that time, we had done almost all the most important part of the cooking.
I quickly take my shower and then pack the food to the roadside where I sell.
I get there around 7am and then immediately I begin to sell.
I have a girl who comes to help me sell.
By 10am, my Waakye should have finished then I go home with the young lady who washes the utensils. I take a nap for some few hours.
Afternoon
At noon, I wake up to prepare my next Waakye for the evening.
This time, I might have had some stew from the morning because I cook enough for the evening. When I don’t then I have to prepare some but usually, I have enough stew and shito for the evening sales.
So my 3pm, I would have been done with the Waakye for the evening and then I prepare for the evening sales.
While I cook for the evening, I also cook some food for my siblings before they return either from work or from school.
By 4pm, we had set off to the road to sell for the evening.
Evening
So I begin to sell around 4:30pm to 5pm.
During this time, sales are not as quick as the morning since people cook at home during this time.
So from that time, I sell till my food gets finished.
My siblings return home by 7pm, they eat, wash the utensils and clean the place I prepared the food at so there isn’t too much for me to do when I return home.
By 8:30pm, my food would have finished and then I pack for home.
When I return home, my younger sibling wash the things I brought from the roadside while I take my bath.
By 9pm, I would have been done and then I go to bed.
So basically, that’s how my day is like on a daily basis.
Best work moments
This business is my like, I treat it with my maximum strength and I have realized people like me for that so they love my food.
It does fetch me money and that's what I use in catering for my siblings and myself.
More tips come from the workers and I save them too for all my little expenses.
Challenges.
This work is tedious and honestly, it is not something I can give it out to other people to handle. I have to do it myself and that stresses me a lot.
I use the weekends to go to the market to buy my stuff in bulk so I virtually do not have enough time to rest.
I cater for my siblings too since I am the family head because my both our parents are dead.
I use almost all my money for my siblings’ school amongst others and that’s a huge responsibility for me.
I don’t want them to end up like me.