I've been roaming through the never ending streets in Pettah (starting from Prince st, 1st cross st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, so on...) today, looking for a particular shop. Just along the way, turning left and right, I see different kinds of people with different attire walking here 'n there with different expressions in their faces. The part of people that caught my attention were those selling stuff on the street. They have small plastic rugs laid on the floor or small wooden setups filled with stuff you would give up trying to identify what they are. Some guys only have one set of items like books, paper knives or small lamps. So from the morning to evening what they do is wander or just stay still hoping that they would have some selling in the day.
For one reason, I feel happy and proud about them. They are somehow trying to stand on their own feet. On the other hand, doing some kind of a business is better than doing nothing or being disappointed about life and turning towards narcotics or outlaws. These people are brave. The sole purpose is with the determination of succeeding one day or to feed somehow the dependants left behind.
But the success rate is below par 99% of the time. These businessmen are barely educated. They start their street life early on life or they are forced to step out to the street compromising the available options. they are untrained, have no vision or a meaning to their lives. Only thing is to think how to survive the next 24 hours. This is an extremely sad situation to see how the manpower of the country being wasted for non-productivity.
In my opinion, they are doing that only because they don't have any other option. I have seen those guys selling stuff in the bus for so many long years without the slightest change in their life, except getting older.
ReplyDeleteIt's really disappointing to see their lives. Most of those people are really nice in their heart (I've personally known few).
Those people are born poor dropped out of school so early or have never sat in a class room. They chose those professions with very low income just to make through a single day. They suffer the poverty so bad they don't even have time to finding a way out of it. I have no idea what can be done to make their lives better.
Every time I see those people, I cry inside me. I really do. I feel bad there's nothing I can do to help them. Sometimes I buy something from them not because I fancy that but that might help them make it through just another day.
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