Everest Bagirabago, 23, is a porter at Nyabugogo Bus Park in Kigali, before running after Onatracom bus he pauses to tell me about his life. I try to catch the attention of alighting passengers asking them “tugutweza” - Do you have any luggage? I am paid depending on the distance and the size of the luggage. If it’s not so far, I earn Frw100 per load. I begin my day at 5 a.m. because that’s when most buses set off. Normally by 7 p.m. I call it a day. Originally I lived in the village of Kibingo. I stopped going to school way back in primary two due to lack of school fees and decided to come to town. I have been working as a porter for the last five years and I am now a resident of Gatsata, a suburb of Kigali. I live with some guys I work with. Each of us pays Frw3,000 a month. Each day I earn at least Frw1,500. I spend about Frw500, mostly on food and keep Frw1,000. I pay Frw500 per week to an association. If I am ever in need of the money the association gives it back with interest. In these five years I have achieved something out of this job. I have managed to buy myself four goats back in my village. Competition is tight but I don’t give up knowing that some work will come my way if I keep at it. One day I hope to go to technical school and become a mechanic or go to driving school, maybe one day I will have a driving license. Contact: natjulie2001@yahoo.com
