A nine-year-old girl is among a growing number of young people in Samoa who are taking to the streets to make money to feed their families.
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Sieni, who claims to come from Vaitele-fou, told the Sunday Samoan that she has no choice but to sell goods on the streets.
Sieni was with another cousin from Vaiusu when the Sunday Samoan approached them.
“My cousin is ten,” she says. “This is what we do everyday, this is our lives.”
On the busy streets of Apia, Sieni is a hustler.
She runs from one stranger to another, offering different goods ranging from ear buds to lighters. She also begs for money and food from them if she cannot make a sale.
“We both go to school for only two days a week,” she said.
“Our parents told us that they don’t have enough money to send us to school everyday so this is what we do.”
According to Sieni, being on the streets has taught her a lot about survival.
“You have to be persistent,” she said. “If you are turned down, you have to keep on asking. I’ve found that some people don't want things at first but if you keep asking they eventually will.”
Sieni and her cousin said their type of business has been around for a while.
“My father buys the lighters, perfumes and other things at a very cheap price from different shops in town and then it’s our jobs to sell it,” she said.
“Our parents told us that, we’re the only hope of our family.
“It’s not just us who work, my father also collects empty bottles to sell them again for money while it is our job to sell lighters.”
Not all days are the same.
Sieni said some days are better than others. She added that most of the money they make are from people who feel sorry for them.
So how do they protect themselves from carrying cash around, especially at their tender ages?
“My father is always around,” she said.
“As soon as I make a sale, he will come around and take the money. He is always following us.
“He always keeps an eye on me in case somebody beats me up. He’s very quick to pick up the money when he knows I’ve made a sale.”
She added: “My parent always told me that we have no money and I’m the only one that they can rely on for food.
“That’s why I come with these lighters everyday so that my family can have money to buy food.”
At school, Sieni said it’s tough.
“Most of the time I don't have food,” she said. “I have a friend at school and she always shares her lunch with me. She is so nice and I’m grateful for her.
“She also gives me 50sene yesterday to buy an ice block. I like her.”
At the end of our conversation, I wanted to see if what Sieni was telling me was correct so I bought some lighters.
As soon as the money landed on Sieni’s hand, her father approached her and took it off her.
I could hear him telling her: “After here then go straight to the market.”
Sieni did not answer back.
She picked up her stuff, walked away silently on to her next potential customer.
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