Street Hustle Accra: A day in the life of, Mercy Ayitey, 45, selling Ga kenkey to cater for her family

Morning

I wake up at 3:30, and then I do my chores, like sweeping, cleaning, amongst others. Then I set my fire and begin to cook the kenkey. While the kenkey is on fire, I begin to fry my fish. I have a lady who helps me so while frying the fish, she will be grating the okro for the stew.

I add okro stew because people like it with the kenkey and the buy it more.

While frying the fish, I set another fire to prepare my black shito. So I multitask so that I am not late for my morning sales.

When the fishes are ready, I begin to cook my okro stew.

By five 5:30am, the fishes, okro stew and black shito should be ready then I go ahead to blend my red pepper.

When I am done, I quickly take my shower and then prepare to go and sell the food.

After dressing up, I come to check on my kenkey. I leave it very long on the fire because I prepare it very soft and usually that's how people like it.

When I realize it is ready, I dish some out into the pan which I sell from and then leave the remaining because I cook it on a larger scale. I do so because I would have to sell in the evening and I won't be able to go through the stress of cooking the kenkey again in the afternoon.

By 7am, my food should be ready for sale.

I put it in a car and then take it straight to where I sell i.e. by the roadside.

Immediately I unpack from the vehicle, I begin selling.

Busy market is usually from 7 to 9:30am. After this time, the market begins to slow down and by this time too I have sold almost 90% of the food.

By 10:30 to 11am, the food should have finished and then I clean where I sold the food and then I leave for the house.

When we get home, the girl I work with washes the things we use to both prepare the food and sell while I take some nab. She joins me when she is done.

Afternoon

I wake up around 2pm and then set the fire to begin preparing another okro soup for the evening. I prepare it fresh because that's how my customers like it.

While the stew is on fire, I begin the preparation of the kenkey for the next day. After doing all the necessary things, I mould the uncooked kenkey and then put then down for the next day.

After all this, I clean my place and then take my bath again for the evening sales.

Evening

By 5:30pm, I set off to the roadside to sell the remaining kenkey. I go this time because it is around this same time that workers close and they will pass by to buy some food.

So I make sales from this time to around 8pm where sales begin to slow down. And again, by this time I should have sold 90% of my food.

By 9 to 9:30, my food would have finished and then I will clean up the place and then go home.

During the evening, the lady doesn't go with me to the roadside. She rather prepares food for my children and then looks after them till I get home.

So by 10pm, I should be home.

I immediately take my bath, check on my children, and then head straight to bed.

Best moments

I like this job because I make quite a good profit. This is an opportunity to be able to provide for the needs of my children and even me.

I get to know a lot of people too and establish contacts to help me when I am in need. Times where I don't cook too, there is food for myself and my family and the little we eat doesn't affect my profit.

Challenges

The work is tedious and very challenging. Although I prepare it at home, I tend to have very little time for my children.

Waking up very early and sleeping late is another challenge too. I hardly make time to rest. And on weekends that I don't work too, I have to go to the market to buy the foodstuff and attend church on Sundays.

Aside from these challenges, I am keen on making it especially for my children and so nothing is stopping me.