2024-08-18 22:28:50
Welcoming holidaymakers into your home is a Cameroonian tradition. But in the cities, as the economy continues to change, families are struggling to make ends meet. Between rising food bills and increased energy consumption, entertaining guests can quickly overwhelm these families’ budgets.
For nearly a month, the atmosphere in the Nguitcheu house in the green district of Yaoundé has been different. This year, they opened their doors again to families who came from the village for the holidays. Since their arrival, the electronic devices in the house have been running at full speed.
« Usually, a Electricity bill High is 4 000 francs. Today we are already past 7 o’clock 000-8 000 francs. We pay 3 000 or 4 000, increased to 12 000 francs », assures the family patriarch, Romeo Nguitcheu. And that’s not all. “ We all have to go out together, but we still have to keep our hands in our wallets. »
Return to school, additional fees apply
Yvonne admitted that she had to increase her spending significantly in her kitchen too. However, the mother-of-three, who is hosting holidaymakers, is already spending more than she earns. The stuff is so expensive, we have already spent 5 dollars 000 francs or more. » She must also assume Cost of returning to school and paid for notebooks, clothes and shoes for the children she hosted on vacation.
In the past, every June, families would go the other way and head to the countryside. This trend reversed a few years ago. Rural populations came to the cities to prepare for the start of the new school year, which created economic challenges for urban families.
Changing habits
« Holidays are expensive. Before then, we didn’t ask ourselves this question. We gave each other gifts. But today this is no longer possible. Africans must adapt to the financialization of life », assures Idriss Linge, editor-in-chief of the Ecofin agency.
On the other hand, we must also remember that many young people from rural areas come to towns and cities to engage in business activities under difficult conditions in preparation for returning to school.
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