Although she’s been a street vendor in João Pessoa for only a decade, Dayse Batista Colado Pontes has seen a lot of positive changes due to the efforts of the Association of Street Vendors and General Workers of Paraiba (AMEG).

Ten years ago, her husband, a long-time night guard, was unexpectedly laid-off. “That’s when our difficulties began,” said Dayse with a deep sigh. A friend encouraged Dayse and her husband Erivaldo Xavier de Pontes to try working as street vendors; they opted to sell skewers of barbecued meat, chicken and cheese and fresh fruit drinks.

But at the time there was a lot of persecution by city hall against us, said Dayse, 44. This took the form of bureaucratic roadblocks to getting a license for an event. “We used to have to spend three days before the opening, standing in line at city hall for a license. We’d sleep there too.”

To expedite matters, the vendors made their own list of vendors in order of arrival which they gave to the city, but that didn’t work either. “They always found a way to say that the list had been lost, or they would move around the order.” Dayse and her husband had no choice but to wait. And the persecution didn’t end there. Sometimes the police would seize their merchandise at an event, and they wouldn’t always give it back. “They used to say it went bad, or we donated it.”

This situation changed completely with AMEG, said Dayse. “Things are much easier now. Now when there is an event or you need a permit, AMEG gets in touch with city hall. There’s no need for us to line-up three nights. Everything is organized and our merchandise isn’t confiscated anymore either.”

Although AMEG solved a lot of problems, Dayse, like her fellow vendor Paula Muniz da Silva [link to article on her], would like to see more effort put into childcare. Dayse has four children: boys aged 24 and 19, who are also vendors, and another 14-year-old son plus her daughter, Maria Elisa who is 18-months old. Dayse has no family to mind her daughter, so the baby comes to events with her parents. When there is space, they set up a mattress for her under the counter where she sleeps, otherwise she plays nearby.

But when the stall gets busy, it’s not always possible to watch her. Dayse is worried her daughter could burn herself on the hot grill, and there’s always the danger of a chaotic fight breaking out during an event. In addition, there’s the possibility of hearing damage given that many events include loud concerts. “It’s a risky environment for children,” said Dayse.

AMEG is fighting a lot for childcare, said Dayse, but meanwhile she waits. “I hope the government will pity us… and make night-care for our children.”