Street vending is a major source of livelihood for women in many nooks and corners of Kohima town. These vendors come from different parts of the state. As they sit from dawn to dusk trying to earn additional income they have their own unique stories to tell. This trade has no age bars and is open to anyone willing to take up this business. Interacting with them, one becomes aware of this stark reality that unlike most professions which people join for the love of it, many of these women profess to getting involved in this trade owing to other openings available to them. Quite often it is because they lack the education, finances orare victims of other pressing circumstances.
Sixty years old, Songuhe Thevo from Chedema village has involved in this business for the last 40 years. This mother of eight shares that, "Street vending had become a part of my lifeever since taking over the responsibility of becoming the main provider for my family even prior to my marriage”. After her marriage she continued to be engaged in the business even though her husband worked as a peon and earned enough for their family. Songuhe normally collects the vegetables from the forests by herself and hence makes good profit, earning 400 to 500 rupees per day which is purely profit in this case.
At Kohima’s Phoolbari area, Kevipfe Chakruno sells her vegetables and fruits to support her five children and her unemployed husband. Plying daily between Chedema Village and Kohima, she shares that her income is often not sufficient to make ends meet for her large family. Like many others she too gleans her products from the forest and earns a few hundred daily. With all her children in school this meagre income is however insufficient forcing her to borrow at regular intervals and causing her family to be in debt at most times.
Kevipfe’s neighbour at the Phoolbari junction, 39 years old, Setounuo Chüsiis from Mezoma village who also works hard for every single penny to meet ends needs. "I spend Rs 100 daily plying back and forth from Mezoma to Kohima to sell my vegetables" says Setounuo who have been selling vegetables for the past 3 years earning around Rs. 400 per day. Setounuo lives with her mother who was once a street vendor.With age however her mother could no longer work at it and it was then that she took over her mother's vending business for their daily bread. She cogently expresses that “We are exposed to the sun and the rain, often chased by the KMC representatives but even then I somehow enjoy my work”.
New to this trade is 40 years old Neinuo Nagi from Jotsoma village who also sell her vegetables in the same pavement as Setounuo. A single mother looking after her only 8 year old son. Earning around Rs. 500 or more in a day depending on her goods which she brings from her village.Expressing her difficulties of staying under the hot sun with no proper shed, she wishes for designated place.
Another single mother 34 years old, Keviyiekieu Zatsu from Phekerükriema village, residing in D. Block also began this business after her husband passed away. Barely two months into this trade, she buys most of her goods from wholesalers coming from different parts of the state. While interacting with the Katalyst team, Kevi shared that she has to bring her 3 years old son along with her to the street as there's no one to look after her son at home while stating her dilemma whether to tend to her son or to the customers. Kevi honestly states that “In our daily schedule it is very common for us to be frequently caught in altercations with the municipal authorities over the areas that we occupy” highlighting a major concern in their trade. Not only are they targeted by the KMC's but they are also often viewed as public nuisances, depriving pedestrians of their space, causing traffic jams and so on.
In addition to this, they also face stiff competition from the non-local vendors who bring their vegetables from outside the state and sell it at cheaper price. Being in a high risk and no security trade Kevi believes that she needs to save for her son today. With this in mind, she has been putting aside some amount regularly for him.There are at least thirty women vendors vending in the same pavement as Keviyiekieu.
Being in this trade for five years is 40 years old Pungeila from Maram village who is one among them. Although married to a working husband, Pungeila being an independent woman started her Street vending business to help in the family's expenses. Unlike the others who mostly depend on forest and local vegetables from the village, Pungeila gets her vegetables from Dimapur. Like Keviyiekieu, Pungeila also has been saving with an organisation. She admits that at least half of them in the same pavement are part of the same group.
Another vendor, 33 years old, Mary Yhome from Kohima Village shares that it's only been a year since she started her vending business. She is married with two children who are in schools. Mary says that she wants to help her husband who is a teacher in supporting the family, hence, joining the street vending business.
Unlike the vendors along the street, women vendors who opt to stay in some designated areas with a roof over their head are better off than their other peers. However, many of the vendors shared that selling their vegetables in constructed market sheds often result in less income as they are isolated from the rest and people seldom notice then except for regular customers. SoungueKeditsu from Meriema village who was previously vending on streets has now decided to end her stint on the streets and has begun occupying one of the constructed sheds. Nonetheless, she admits that “there is more sale in the open streets comparatively”.
Around twenty women vendor are at the same basement market shed with Soungue and they all agree with her. 40 years old Neichülhoü Metseo, also a member is from Zhadima village is married with 5 children. Her husband is a daily wager and so she became the main provider for the family earning around Rs. 800-1000 in a day with her vegetables which are both locally grown and bought from Kohima itself. Neichülhoü complains of the turf competitions that they have to face with the non-local vendors who work in the same market shed expressing that there's no other option but to endure the inconveniences.
In the Mao Market area of BOC, the women seen to be better off than those who are out in the open streets. They are free from environmental hazards and do not face the wrath of municipal authorities but many of their personal stories are alike. Ellie Khuvung, 38 years old, sells fresh vegetables and organic fruits at this market. She has been engaged in this business for some years and procures most of her goods from wholesalers who arrive from different parts of the state. However she keeps many of the goods from Wokha area. Ellie shares that they do not stock up too much but rather buys for about 2000 to 3000 rupees per day as most of their goods are also perishable. The vendors in this market place tell a story of vibrancy and hope as they go about their work.
A few blocks away from them however at the TYO “Bamboo” market shed, the vendors tell a different story. There was a lot of hope and expectation as the innovative bamboo house was erected. A lot of the local women who were out on the streets were also invited to the shed which was very positive. However of late a number of them have decided to move back to their streets owing to their inability to make daily payments as has been stipulated. The security deposit which has also been announced is also too much for many to afford.
Similar concerns about difficulties in making payments to collectors over ‘sitting tariff’ have been voiced by the vendors who sell at the “evening market” at Phoolbari. They share their inability to often make profits when they are charged so much for their business daily. These women therefore hope that the Municipal organisations can come up with some arrangements favouring them in view of their constant struggles. Majority of them don't have access to proper toilets while constantly fearing being evicted by the municipalities at any time of the day. Working under challenging circumstances they are exposed to all kinds of diseases and situations.
These fiercely determined and independent women come from different villages with varied stories to share.Nevertheless, they all share a common goal which is to ensure the economic security of their families and live life the way they know best. Often times they fail to realise how they are contributing to society owing to problems that bog them down. The impact that they are making is also often undermined owing to their lack of standing in society. However, the mere fact that many farmers and people in the rural areas are richer by a few amount daily because they retail their goods which otherwise would have been of no value speaks of their tremendous contributions to our local people.
Katalyst (A quarterly newsletter of the Entrepreneurs Associates)
