Streetside merchants

People in Kinshasa are entrepreneurs, selling a wide range of items at streetside. Here can be seen a variety of baked goods, fresh fruits, shoes, display of charcoal brasiers (cookers), and household goods including a pick axe on the tree trunk.

Hair salons are abundant along African streets, providing gorgeous braiding in the hair of girls and women and haircuts for the men.




In this photo live ducks are being sold by their owner. Also available along many streets are live chickens in baskets and cages. Notice the window glass on display for sale.



At street intersections hawkers sell their wares. In Kinshasa the items are of a practical nature, such as bottles of water, snack foods, packets of tissue, matches, locks with keys, and DRC flags.



As we opened our hotel curtains each of three mornings at 6 a.m. we observed these women selling golden loaves of bread on the corner. By 7 a.m. their baskets were empty. Bread is fresh and delicious, being baked throughout the day and available nearly everywhere. Most street merchants are at their stands by 5 a.m. maximizing their contact with potential customers and remain until after 6 p.m.