I was surprised when I went back to Hanoi and stayed for eleven days that I noticed the number of walking vendors carrying heavy “quang ganh ”(two baskets hanging on a wooden pole) on their shoulders. I wonder why I didn’t noticed them on my first visit last 2009, maybe because I was too busy thinking about Halong Bay and definitely because I only spent a very short time there.
On my last night in Hanoi (May 12), I spent some time sitting in front of the hostel chatting with other backpackers. After a few minutes, one of these walking vendors sat near us to take some rest. Another Vietnamese lady stopped by as well to buy something from her.
After the transaction, the vendor opened her wallet and started counting her earnings for the whole day of work. Sadness gloomed over her beautiful but tired face, the money that she was holding seemed to be less than 40,000 Dong or less than $2.
This lady walked the whole day under the scorching heat of the sun and sometimes drenched under the pouring rain. They were often ignored by tourists and locals. The quang ganh that they’re holding were no joke. They’re very heavy.
These women endure the hardships everyday just to be able to earn a few bucks. And her story is not unique to Hanoi. Look around you, around the world millions of people are living under poverty, working their asses off just to generate a dollar to feed their family. It’s heartbreaking but what could we do.
I honestly don’t know too. What I usually do though (which I also just learned from other travellers) is to buy stuff from local merchants like them instead of putting my money to giant corporations (which only applies to particular merchandise though).
When you buy through a local vendor, you’re assured that the money helps them generate an income that could be use to feed their families.
A Little Warning: I heard rumors about some people posing as vendors and scamming tourists. They say that these vendors were carrying “quang ganh” as well but with only a few merchandise. They usually befriend tourists and lend the “quang ganh” and pose for pictures and afterwards ask for money. So be careful on these kind of touts.
How about you? What do you do to help support the locals in the countries that you visit?
Photo Credits: Pics by Frameless World
Quite an interesting point you raised there. Inasmuch as I liked travelling, sometimes I cringe at myself for indulging in the luxury to travel to different places and be amongst the local people that earn less than my daily travel budget.
I don’t know what to do either and as you suggested, what I usually do is buy from these local vendors instead of buying from the bigger stores as a way to help their local economy.
i agree… buying directly from a local would definitely help them…
encountering hawkers make us realized how fortunate we are. i do buy from hawkers when i go travel as well as you say it helps them a lot.
oh there are a lot of posers like that victimizing tourists. there was one of these guys who said hi to my husband at the pyramids of giza then put his hand around my husband’s shoulders and asked to be photographed with him then asked money for that “service” provided
lesson learned.
oh i jumped from chyng’s to get here.
thanks for sharing your experience… i saw a few people posing as vendors and asking for money from tourists…
enjoy blog hopping… you have amazing pictures of mazatlan 
I remember seeing these walking vendors around Hanoi when I was there. I had no idea that they earned so little each day. Now I’m very glad that I purchased lychees from them on a regular basis. Thanks for giving me some added insight into these people. Although I don’t remember meeting any that wanted to take photos with me for cash. Maybe that’s a new thing or perhaps I just didn’t notice.
they do man… its heartbreaking…