Estimated reading time: 8 minute(s)
Adetutu Sobowale
A soft drink hawker, Blessing Vincent has lamented that hawking became her only means of livelihood to cater for her family of four after her beer parlor shop was burgled and her goods carted away by robbers.
Blessing, a mother of four explained that life became hell after she was left with nothing to live on, adding that her husband had left her with three children to cater for.
Speaking exclusively with PLATFORM TIMES , she said she had to withdraw her children from school for two years as a result of the economic hardship.
She said, “I was independent but my life turned upside down when some robbers burgled my shop and carted away all I had in it.
“It was a terrible experience for me. life became a living hell. I had three children to care for because my husband had run away with another woman.
“For two years I depended on my family to feed myself and my children. But that was not enough.
Speaking about how she raised capital for her little business, She said, “my elder sister raised N10,000. I started the business with N7,000 and N3,000 was used to feed the family then. And since then, I’ve been hawking to make a living.
“Most times I make N1000 profit and that is what we depend on daily. If I don’t hawk, we won’t eat.
While speaking about how her family of four survived with N1,000 daily, she said, “what I do is that every night, I will buy gari, make Eba, and buy soup from food vendors.
“The next morning, I give my 17-year-old daughter, N200 for the day and the other two will take N100 each.
Speaking further, Blessing emphasized that surviving on a thousand naira had had its toll on her children, saying her first child had once attempted suicide when she dropped out of school.
“My daughter once attempted suicide because she was home for over two years while her mates were in school.
“That action pained me. I felt ashamed of myself as I couldn’t provide for the needs of my children. But what can I do? All I could do was to put food on the table for them.
“She is 17 years and just in Junior Secondary School three. And I can only afford to give her N200 for feeding for the whole day. She is learning hairdressing while she goes to school.
While betraying her emotions, Blessing upheld that she is aware that her child might be exposed to immoral things in the quest to survive on N200.
“I know the money I give to her is not enough. Many might want to influence her. What can I do? I give all that I have. I hawk without food. I only eat once after my sales.
“This our condition is terrible. I need help. Their father has left with another woman. He has forgotten his children.
“I’m 29 years but I look older probably 40 years. But I don’t care. All I want is for my children to live fine.
When asked If she has benefitted from any form of empowerment, She said, “I have never benefitted. It has never come close to me.
“I don’t know who the government has been empowering because I’ve never benefitted and not even someone I know has.” She added.
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