But the deafening noise from the busy traffic gives a painful background to what he endures every day, navigating dangerously between the moving traffic as he tries desperately to make a sale to buyers eager for refreshment in the sweltering heat of the afternoon. He is now adept at his peculiar style of salesmanship, keeping a sharp eye out for a beckoning hand from a vehicle window or the call of “Gala!”
He is not alone in the traffic. Others of a similar age like him and even younger are also busy trying to sell roasted plantains, sachet water, cakes and fruit juices. The battle of these youths is a quick reminder of the battle of survival that has become a sort of national anthem in a country where the economy is in tatters.
