like wandering showcases . They sell imported clothes , milk or coffee packages , homemade cakes , viands or vegetables . At first sight , the common features are being black or mestizo and evidently poor , but after the initial impression we can find more similarities . I interviewed three women in the midst of their street fights : Dora , a recycled items ’ collector and seller ; Martha , a pharmaceuticals reseller ; and Machi , a
cake seller . It surprised me they all have the same jobs in the state labor system : they are cleaning aids . One in a warehouse , one in a school , and the other in a hospital . And they have the same reason for being street vendors : to cover the basic needs that are not satisfied by their meager wages earned at their state workplaces . Two of them had a degree and worked for a while in their specialties , but they must leave them .
Machi , 27 , found herself in an ethical dilemma . After graduating as a lawyer at the University of Oriente , she worked in a law firm , but decided to quit in face of the danger of going to jail . " The only way to make money there was taking bribes for doing things that violate the law . I have a daughter . Every time I was forced to do something illegal , I did it with fear that it could be discovered . I finally decided to quit for my peace of mind .”
However , finding a new job is not easy in today ' s depressing economic circumstances . It would have been ideal for her to set up her own business , because she loves baking , but she does not have capital . She started to sell cakes on the streets and in her former workplace . Each morning , she comes with 30 cakes in a container . " I sell them at 2 pesos each ; I have my clients , who come to look for them as soon as they see me . From time to time , I make
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