The itinerant traders “Kope eleki salary”
The itinerant trade is one of the standards that defines Congo. It is therefore not surprising to see traders here and there covering the city, looking for customers.
We will be particularly interested in those who are recognizable by their wooden baskets made of elastic bands and mostly improvised cardboard boxes, where the products are ideally stored. There is a ray of kola, lemon, small kola, bitter and sweet roots, disposable tissue paper, cigarettes … All worn on the head along the day. Some extend until dusk for the last customer (last n’gonga).
Welcome to Africa. Life is unique, the view is magnificent and the habits are authentic. From Kinshasa to Brazzaville, from Dolisie to Pointe-Noire. The social setting is unparalleled and entrepreneurship is prominent. Far from the classic methods of business, here the concept is reinvented. “Kope eleki salaire” (Entrepreneurship is better than a salary). A slogan that defines our youth.
Original value offer
Indeed, the service they offer is quite original. The products are the same as what you can find on the market. But the fact that they bring them back to places where you don’t expect them creates additional interest. It’s true that it doesn’t compete with online sales, but the result is at least effective. Demand is such that itinerant merchants have been able to build customer loyalty through their commendable regularity, with target routes. Kilometers travelled with the aim of making the revenue.
Street vendors and therapists
The products are as special as each other. Flagship products have therapeutic power. Nzo za nugu: [zozanougou] in lari (magnigettes) relieve sore throat, angina and perfumed the vocal cords. Roots such as Mundjondjo (sweet root) and Kita-mata (bitter root) have respectively the virtues of cleansing the pelvis, the kidneys and energizing faculties. As for the small kola, it is a famous Afrodisiac, in addition to relieving stomach aches and regulating tension in the same way as the kola. The offer of value is justified and the demand is mostly male. It is a cult product that goes well with beer. But there are more interesting things.
Ankourou: a small bottle for an organic sexual appetite
In addition to being a salesman. Most of them are forging the reputation of “sex therapist”. A chemistry of which they are the only creators. A laboratory where mastery does not make humanity. Products such as “Ankourou” or “Django” which have proven themselves in public testimonies, to the point of being praised by the famous Dj Kani in the years 2010. Since then, other products are emerging. Often served in a small bottle for an organic sexual appetite.
Like notifying beforehand, no need to bother to get supplies. Like the internet the product comes to you, on order for loyal customers and unannounced for passers-by and lovers of good flavors (beers, liqueurs …). The products are omnipresent, a few minutes apart, sometimes simultaneously, the sellers frequent the same circles. Bars, cellars, restaurants, parks and crowded places are the most targeted by the sellers. Because a glass of beer, cola and the handsets are the best way to spice up the moment of relaxation.
Cheap and therapeutic
The range of products is quite wide. There are peanuts, lemon and many others. Enjoy without moderation in all situations. In traffic jams, in the street or in the environment. It is cheap and therapeutic. A heritage of the ancestors that seduces until today.
What do you think of street traders and their products. Give us your opinion in the form of a commentary.
Written by Don Jubrel
