Dili, July 10, 2026 (Media Democracia) – Salostiano Castro Perreira, a 20-year-old young man from Baucau Municipality, Laga Administrative Post, Sagrate Village, Aiasula Hamlet, is currently making a living as a small vendor in the capital Dili. Every day he stays in Jardim Largo Lecidere with his wheelbarrow, selling goods to support himself and to seek a better future.
Salostiano said that when he first came to the capital Dili, he had nothing. He had no place to live and the only money he brought was $100 to start his small business.
“From that $100, I split it into $60 to buy a wheelbarrow and $40 to buy coconuts to sell. I buy one coconut for $0.50 and resell it for $1, so I can make a small profit to support my daily life,” said Salostiano, in Jardim Largo Lecidere, Dili, (8/07/2026).
He also stated that because he still doesn’t have a house or a place to live, at night he just rests in public gardens in Dili. Despite facing many difficulties, Salostiano keeps working hard with the hope that his business can grow and improve his life in the future.
Even though he faces daily life challenges, selling coconuts, he keeps pushing his wheelbarrow around the capital Dili to earn income to support his family. The income he earns each day is not fixed, but it is still enough to help meet his family’s basic needs and keep the small business going.
“Every day I start selling in gardens or push the wheelbarrow to places so people can buy. On a good day, I can earn between US$20 to US$15. But if it’s slow, sometimes I only earn US$5. It all depends on the people who come to buy. I use this money to support my family at home and to buy more goods to keep the business running.” he explained.
He also emphasized that the biggest challenge that coconut vendors face is not having a permanent place to carry out commercial activities. Because operations by the SEATOU team, who often chase us away from selling spots, have a direct impact on our income.
“As coconut vendors, we often feel sad because the SEATOU team always comes to confiscate our coconuts and force us to leave our selling spots. Because of that, we have to look for other places to keep selling, because until now we still don’t have a permanent place,” he said.
In addition, he also recommends to young people and to the relevant authorities to provide support for small business activities. He asks young people not to depend only on their parents, but to take initiative to make a living on their own through work and entrepreneurship.
Report By: Trainee Lourenco
Photo: Trainee Lourenco