In this community, the men and the boys go out fishing wile their women wait until they return to take the fishes out to sell. They residents of this community depend solely on fishing as an occupation, for the up keeps of their families. Only a few number of children can be seen enrolled in schools, they rest are groomed in the act.
As at the time, Across Africa visited the community, the fishermen were experiencing low turn ups of fishes in the sea. The fishing group, made of mostly youths and young boys (both trainees and apprentices) start off their journey into the sea from as early as 4:30 in the evening and return between 6 and 7 0'clock in the morning. The elders will stay around to wait for their return.
By the time they visited, they group had already left for fishing while the elders were at home. They were advised to return the next morning (by 7 am) so they could see the fishing group on their return.
So they did! The group returned and sadly, they had quite an insignificant number of fishes to show for all their efforts and the risk they took in spending the whole night in the sea. Worst still, the fishes are in small sizes, that the women had nothing to sell.
While interacting with the elders and the youth, they lamented on hardship during this period of drought as they get nothing to sell in order to raise money with which to cater for their families.
The youth leader of the community who identified himself as Kodjo spoke on behalf of the youth. He said that among them are able bodied young men who are ready to take up any form of lucrative or business offered them so they can raise money to support their families. He said,
"We go out in the evening, spend all the night in the sea and we feel bad to return to the women who wait for us, with little number of small sized fishes. We work so hard for so little."
This is where alternative livelihood comes in. They expressed their willingness to embrace any form of alternative business that could be offered to them in form of help, especially within that period of lack.
Across Africa also discovered that the only periods the fishermen enjoy large catches of fishes are between July and September when they have abundant fishes in the seas.
See more photos from the visit below...
Please share your thoughts on this article. Do you think these fishermen deserve to be introduced to alternative businesses for alternative source of livelihood?
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