TITLE:
Understanding the Roles of Street Vendors of Agricultural Commodities during the COVID-19 Outbreak in the Informal Economy
AUTHORS:
Mushagalusa Balasha Arsene, Hwali Masheka Lebon, Kesonga Nsele Maurice, Murhula Balasha Benjamin, Birali Muninginyi Faustin, Kitsali Katungo Jean-Hélène
KEYWORDS:
Street Vendors, Agricultural Commodities, Family Basic Needs, COVID-19, Bukavu
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.8 No.9,
September
16,
2020
ABSTRACT: The ongoing COVID-19 poses a global challenge which results in
significant socioeconomic and psychological impacts. While the entire world
appreciates the great job done every single day by the health care personnel,
little attention has been paid to people especially women involved in
supplying, delivering and retailing food commodities even during the strict
lockdown. This study reports the results of a survey conducted in Bukavu,
eastern DR Congo among 93 street vendors of agricultural commodities in order
to understand their struggle and efforts to meet the basic needs of their
families during this pandemic. Street vendors are mainly young women (82.8%)
from both rural (40%) and disadvantaged urban entities (60%) and spend 9 ± 3 hours
between searching and vending a range of products including vegetables and fruits,
from which they earn per day 2.2 ± 1.5 US$: Over 53% of those vendors earn less
than 1.90 US$ set as a global poverty threshold. Despite the struggle to get
goods (46%), the instability of money exchange rate, and the police harassments
(ordering the clearance of the streets, imposition of the wearing of masks),
street vendors take much of risks to supply food to the community (38%) and to
fight for their households’ welfare (providing basic needs) during this
critical period. However, street vendors (76.3%) are so concerned about the
COVID-19 outbreak, which some qualify as a silent world war and the worse
disease ever heard. In short, street vending is a source of employment and
income for poor dwellers who have limited opportunities in a country where the
ongoing pandemic exacerbates the already existing social inequalities.