WATER VENDERS’ CRY OVER DECREASED WATER DEMAND
For some time now, water has created a lot of employment opportunities to the jobless among them being water vendors. Patrick wachira ventured into the water vending business three years ago and has had no regrets because since then, the business has clothed, rented a house and fed his family. He had really tarmacked looking for a job without success not knowing that he too could employ himself.
Before the onset of the rainy season, there were constant water shortages and disconnections almost every where except some few places which were very much flocked with people in search of the precious commodity. Because of the congestion in such areas, people opted to getting water supplies from water vendors. During this period, the business was really booming because a twenty-litre jerrican of water could cost up to Kshs 50. “Business was good I would make up to Kshs 1500 a day which most of the people working in offices don’t get in one day” says Patrick.
Due to the onset of the rainy season and the rains being experienced all over the country, there is water in most of the places that we used to supply water and this has greatly affected the demand thus leading to decrease in prices. Samuel Otieno who is also a water vendor says that because of the decreased demand, the amount charged on a twenty litre jerrican depends on the distance to carry to the customer, “for now we have to negotiate the price with my customer because I may end up not selling the whole day and maybe go back home with my water which wont benefit me at all, so I can take to as low as kshs15 or 20 per jerrican: says Samuel.
At this moment that their business is not favorable, they are at least guaranteed of kshs600 after a long day of hard work which they say has forced them to reduce their expenditure most of which is spent on food. This is evident from their healthy and very muscular bodies as Patrick says that because the job entails pulling of a hand cart loaded with about thirty or more jerricans full of water on the bumpy muddy road in between the estates and wait for the customers in need of the commodity to show up. “It is very tiresome sometimes because you may only go for that one round in one day and maybe adds on some few jerricans to pay the water source man,” says Patrick.
In this job one has to maintain his body because it is the one to do the job and therefore before they start working, a heavy and energetic breakfast is taken that will keep them going until lunch. “Despite the fact that the job is hard and very tiresome, it keeps me physically fit and I don’t need to see a doctor often for ailments,” says Patrick but he is quick to add that he doest want to grow old being a water vendor and he has been saving his earnings to open up a business of his own. “We still have a generation that is targeting this job and it is waiting for us to quite for them to take over” he says
They say that if at all the water disconnections and shortages would resume, they would really make a fortune thus it is no longer secret that some people rejoice at the expense of other peoples miseries.
The water vending business is an encouragement to those who are unemployed and still think that being employed to work in offices pays better but there are various inexhaustible ways of making clean money that earns far much beyond what those working in the offices earn.
The support that this kind of business requires is the need for the installation of a water meter by the city council in various places around the city residential areas so that they can provide the youth with employment opportunities using the precious commodity that life cannot exist without.
For some time now, water has created a lot of employment opportunities to the jobless among them being water vendors. Patrick wachira ventured into the water vending business three years ago and has had no regrets because since then, the business has clothed, rented a house and fed his family. He had really tarmacked looking for a job without success not knowing that he too could employ himself.
Before the onset of the rainy season, there were constant water shortages and disconnections almost every where except some few places which were very much flocked with people in search of the precious commodity. Because of the congestion in such areas, people opted to getting water supplies from water vendors. During this period, the business was really booming because a twenty-litre jerrican of water could cost up to Kshs 50. “Business was good I would make up to Kshs 1500 a day which most of the people working in offices don’t get in one day” says Patrick.
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| Inset: most of the carts parked due to lack of business |
At this moment that their business is not favorable, they are at least guaranteed of kshs600 after a long day of hard work which they say has forced them to reduce their expenditure most of which is spent on food. This is evident from their healthy and very muscular bodies as Patrick says that because the job entails pulling of a hand cart loaded with about thirty or more jerricans full of water on the bumpy muddy road in between the estates and wait for the customers in need of the commodity to show up. “It is very tiresome sometimes because you may only go for that one round in one day and maybe adds on some few jerricans to pay the water source man,” says Patrick.
In this job one has to maintain his body because it is the one to do the job and therefore before they start working, a heavy and energetic breakfast is taken that will keep them going until lunch. “Despite the fact that the job is hard and very tiresome, it keeps me physically fit and I don’t need to see a doctor often for ailments,” says Patrick but he is quick to add that he doest want to grow old being a water vendor and he has been saving his earnings to open up a business of his own. “We still have a generation that is targeting this job and it is waiting for us to quite for them to take over” he says
They say that if at all the water disconnections and shortages would resume, they would really make a fortune thus it is no longer secret that some people rejoice at the expense of other peoples miseries.
The water vending business is an encouragement to those who are unemployed and still think that being employed to work in offices pays better but there are various inexhaustible ways of making clean money that earns far much beyond what those working in the offices earn.
The support that this kind of business requires is the need for the installation of a water meter by the city council in various places around the city residential areas so that they can provide the youth with employment opportunities using the precious commodity that life cannot exist without.
Hursling is the epitome of todays survival among the youth. Being self employed is better than waking up to work for somebody else. Congrats guys!..
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