Ramadhan brings blessings to vendors

Ramadhan brings blessings to vendors

P.C. Naommy and Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ramadhan has brought blessings to around 50 street vendors
selling tajil (snacks for breaking the daily fast during the holy
month) along Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Central Jakarta.

Bobby, 23, one of the vendors, said he had been selling tajil,
made from recipes from his home province of West Sumatra, for
five years.

On two tables in front of him, he displayed lemang tape
(fermented black glutinous rice) and other various snacks.

For Bobby, this year's Ramadhan has brought bigger profits.
Last year, he took home an average of Rp 700,000 (US$82.35) per
day.

"This year, I can earn up to Rp 1.5 million per day," he said.
"Maybe it is also because we moved to a better location."

Bobby previously sold the snacks inside a building parking
lot. This year, he set up his stalls on the sidewalk. The new
location makes it easier for customers to access his stall.

"We have been preparing the foods since before sunrise because
we sell six different items, each consisting of 200 pieces,
everyday," he said.

Bobby's family spends six hours for the cooking only. They
usually start after the predawn meal.

For customers, the stalls have helped them to buy foods.

"I live around here and I usually stop by to buy some food for
breaking the fast and sometimes the predawn meal," said Reni, 28,
who works for a recording company. "I have always bought food for
breaking the fast at this stall."

But not all vendors are making large profits like Bobby.

Yati, 40, a mother of five, said that last year was better in
terms of profit.

"More and more people are selling tajil now and the
competition among us is also tighter," groaned the seasonal
vendor.

If she could bring home Rp 1 million per day last year, she
could only earn Rp 700,000 per day this year.

Seasonal vendors offering tajil are not only operating in
major thoroughfares like Jl. Jend. Sudirman. In other areas of
the capital, particularly near residential areas, people also
open the same business.

One of them is Endang, 43, who sells tajil on Jl. Panjang,
West Jakarta, with 20 other vendors.

She starts selling tajil at 2:30 p.m. Among the snacks were
kolak (bananas or sweet potatoes sweetened in coconut milk),
bubur sumsum (rice flour porridge) and kacang ijo (mung bean
porridge), which sell for Rp 2,500 per package. She also sold
chicken curry for Rp 5,000 per package.

Endang said that it was her first time selling tajil. She
decided to become a seasonal vendor to earn extra money.

"My friend has been selling tajil for four years and she can
earn up to Rp 300,000 profit per day. Who wouldn't be enticed to
get such a huge amount of money?" she said with a smile.

"I didn't do it because my family is short of cash. I already
have a steady catering business and my husband has a permanent
job so he can pay all the bills," she said.

Endang added that when she did not sell all the food, she gave
it to scavengers or orphans.