Newspaper vendor suffering decline in sales.
Zimbabwean Teacher
For many, the life of a newspaper vendor may seem relatively trivial. However, the story of one vendor in Bulawayo, is not trivial but a story of despair and sympathy. This is the story of a mother, a former teacher, who left the classroom for the streets in order to provide for her family.
Decent Living
Biyatha Danha was a dedicated teacher for over a decade before she found herself in dire straits. Her daughter was starting university and Danha knew she had to find a way to pay the tuition fees. She decided that selling newspapers on the streets was the best option because she had observed that vendors make a decent living.
So, she left her teaching job and started to roam the streets of Bulawayo selling newspapers. She got a job with a media company that paid her 10% of all the newspapers she sold each week. It was hard work. On sunny days, it was hot and sticky, while on wet days, the streets were covered in mud. But Danha pushed on nonetheless as she was determined to support her family.
Print media obsoleteness
However, things have changed recently. With the advent of digital technology, newspaper sales have been on a steady decline. This has had a significant impact on Danha’s wages. She now struggles to make enough money to support her family. What once was a reliable source of income for her family is now at risk of disappearing altogether.
According to reports, print news readership in Zimbabwe started declining because of coming of internet and social media. News consumption changed i.e. the decline in print news consumption in Zimbabwe.
Municipal police attack on vendors
Moreover, Danha now faces another challenge. The city council has targeted street vendors, including newspaper vendors, by taking away their newspapers and shutting down their businesses. Danha expressed frustration with the situation and sought protection from media houses to shield her against such attacks.
“My Newspapers usually are taken to the council where I had to follow them and spend the whole day trying to retrieve them without selling them,” Danha complained. “I’m just trying to feed my family, and I wish the authorities could see that.”
An Effort to Overcome
In an effort to overcome these new challenges, Danha has come up with a solution. She suggests that media companies should expand their print offerings to include magazines, which she believes will provide her with another reliable source of income. By selling different types of publications, she believes that she can make more money as a single mother.
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