Meet Sierra Leone’s Essential Workers: The Cookery Seller

I started catering two years ago because I had to take care of my family, and I did not want to sit idly. Cooking has been a profitable business for me. I use the proceeds to take care of my mother, father, brother, sister, and daughter. 

My daughter is 21 years old, and she is a third-year student at the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM). Her father and I have separated, but he pays her tuition fees while I take care of all the other things related to her, such as food, clothing, etc. 

The current COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on my business. I no longer make the same amount of profit I made before. My customers don’t come as frequently as they did before. Some I’ve lost, and I don’t think they will return. There was this when I saw a few of my old customers and asked them why they weren’t coming anymore. Their reply was that they started cooking their own food because of the virus because it’s cheaper and safer that way.

The only positive thing from all of this was that the university was closed, so I didn’t have to worry about my daughter going to university every day. I have cut down on most of my expenditures to stay afloat and maintain my responsibilities. Things are slowly going back to normal, so I’m hopeful that my profits will be back.

Credit: Essential Stories/OSIWA

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