Youths Venturing into Second Hand Trade

The overcrowded population of  Serrekunda market owes much to the large number of   young people who are simply  buying and selling  second hand goods--mobile phones, gold, jewelry  and other items. These can be  seen at all corners of the market searching selling their wares to  interested individuals as they strive to earn a living.

This trade, according to sources, has been on-going for years, involving different nationalities and tribes who all manage to mix together as they strive to meet their customers demands.  According to  a Nigerian national, Mr. Christ Brown, who has for two years now taken part in the trading at the market,  it calls for much   sacrifice, at  gaining and losing,  to meet the customers’ demands. 

“We get our materials from people who are willing to sell and  sell to people with a small interest”, he said. But one may wonder if they can live only on the business, taking care of their families,  As Brown noted, the job cannot even be called a business “as there is nothing like salary at the end of the month. 

“The little profit that I have is what I use to pay for my rent, food and other needed materials…”, he said. The job  itself is a tiresome one as it involves roaming about the market  asking people to buy when  some may not even respond.

“I don’t want to spend my entire life in this job,” said a school drop out for financial reasons,  I only join the business to keep myself busy and to be self-reliant but it’s not actually my choice.” According to them, they are always at odds with the market security  whom they accuse of seizing their goods from them for not being  licensed. 

“I have spent more than a week at the Serrekunda police station after  an officer seized my goods, and I was 

asked to pay D500 before my release”, says Lamin Ceesay. “This always makes the job difficult for one to live by.But he said it has also contributed to  low prices as a mobile phone can cost as low as D300.  About the quality, Ceesay said in business, there are good as well as bad business people. 

“Some people will sell phones knowing their full condition  but because of money, they may change the entire cover to appear new to the customers”, he said.  The job calls for smart individuals who will be able to win over customers  not the lazy ones, they said 

But their main aim is travelling  overseas. ‘Babylon’ for these boys, features in their discussions. “Everyone here is  in need of travelling and we are very sure that when we leave, we will make it, ”they said..