Martha Roberts, a widow and a mother of seven, resides in Gardnerville. She caters to her family through her petite trading. She also complains about the high cost of living in the city.
“Since I lost my husband,” she said, “I have been the only person to provide food and education to the children.”
She said life in the city “is very tough and every day and night the cost of living go up and at the end the less fortunate suffers.”
Martha Roberts said she has been in the coconut business for the past three years when she came from Nimba County.
She began her trade with L$1500, using L$80 of the money to transport it home in Garnerville.
“My daily income is very low,” she said. “At times I make L$50 or I even make L$20.”
She said: “The business is not profitable because of the price increases.”
“I get my goods (coconut) from the Red Light market in Paynesville and transport them my home before taking them to Monrovia (Broad Street) which is very expensive for me,” she said.
She added: “I don’t get help from my children because they are all students and beside that they have to take care of the home and bringing them here will be too much expensive.”
She said she sells, “and in the evening I prepare something for them to eat.” She sells from Monday to Saturday and on Sunday she sells in front of her house in Gardnersville.
She told this paper her day starts at 8:00am and end at 6:00pm every day.
