Surviving in the informal economy: the journey of Selemani, one of Lwanda Market small-scale market vendors.

Selemani’s journey among market vendors

According to recent research, a significant portion of Malawi’s population relies on the informal economy for their livelihood. To gain insight into this phenomenon, Robert Selemani, one of the small-scale market vendors at Luwanda Market in Blantyre District, shared his entrepreneurial journey.

Luwanda Market, a community-designated marketplace, operates without official recognition, despite a designated market space existing nearby. Here, market vendors occupy private plots, paying daily rental fees. This scenario is common across the country.

Selemani’s business journey began in 2012, driven by the need to support his family. Initially trading groceries, he expanded to operating a street takeaway and selling Irish potatoes in 2015. As his business grew, he employed an individual to manage the takeaway while focusing on Irish potatoes and part-time bricklaying.

Adaptability during challenging times

However, challenges arose. The departure of his business partner forced Selemani to close the takeaway, and the shift to digital scales in the Irish potato trade, which he couldn’t afford, led him to diversify into selling onions, garlic, and beetroot.

Through his experiences as one of Luwanda Market’s market vendors, Selemani developed valuable life skills and economic resilience. He identifies seasonal fluctuations in profit margins and cites calamities like cyclones and droughts as significant challenges. These events lead to reduced harvests, increased demand, and higher prices from farmers.

“The devaluation of our currency also severely impacts us,” Selemani explained. “Suddenly, our capital can’t purchase the same quantity of commodities, affecting our profit margins.”

Selemani’s story exemplifies the determination and adaptability of Malawi’s informal economy workers, in particular market vendors.

This article was written by our Youth Reporter and Media Activist Uthman Kaisi.