Youths can earn a living in many ways: Vendor

YOUTHS in Papau New Guinea can earn a living in many ways by engaging in economic activities.
Twenty-five-year-old Paul Toimbo of Nogar village in upper Gena, Kerowagi district, Simbu province, who sells  phone cards on the streets in Goroka, made this statement.
He completed his grade 10 education at Kerowagi Secondary School in 2001 but could not afford to proceed any further in the formal education system.
“As I could not enter the formal work force or continue my educations, I went back home and voluntary got involved in community work in my area for five years,” Mr Toimbo said.
He said his village was located in a very remote part of Kerowagi district, where the people cannot access any basic Government service and the only service available  was  the aid post set up in the colonial era.
“This is the contributing factor that forced me to migrate to urban centre to search for easy life and to have access to better Government services,” he said.
In 2006, he went to live  with his relatives at Mambu market settlement  outside Goroko town.
.Mr Toimbo siad as he did not posses the necessary skills to find formal employment in town, he decided to venture the street vending business to make ends meet .
“Until May this year, I was given an opportunity to work with a company by selling its products in the streets.
“ I’ am currently working as a phone card sales person on the streets and do phone to phone top up for mobile phone customers,” he said.
Mr Toimbo’s income comes from commission he earns from the sales of his products.
The more he sells, the higher the commission.
“This is a challenging task, I talk from 6am to 4pm and at the end of the day, I am very tired and restless.
“Sometimes, I don’t even eat a single piece of kaukau for my dinner.
“If I don’t do my duties by talking to customers and do sales, I know that I would not be having something on the  table for
dinner so  I have to talk to earn some money to survive in the town daily,” he said.