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Kezhaleto Zecho (centre) flanked by two friends at one of their stalls on Thursday evening in Kohima.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Kohima, Nov. 14. (EMN): While many youth in the state sit back at home and complained over lack of avenues and opportunities in the government sector, there still exist some good souls who found their ways against all odd with a passion to promote local economy.
The street food vendors in the Phoolbhari over-bridge near Old MLA Hostel junction are picking up local youth in the past few months instead of the non-Nagas serving hot and spicy ‘chole,’ momo, sausages, barbeque, which would add delight in a busy street of Kohima.
Among others were Kezhaleto Zecho with his two friends and Grace Ezung with her three friends. The former is a disability right activists while the later a beauty pageant.
Kezhaleto Zecho is a sociology graduate and president of Nagaland State Disability Forum (NSDF) and a disability rights activists in the North eastern state and beyond advocating the rights of people with special needs.
Speaking to
Eastern Mirror on Thursday evening, Kezhaleto Zecho shared that he along with one of his friends, who ran a hardware shop, started the street food business in the month of June this year.
He expressed delight to observe that local youth are taking up job on street food vendors. He remarked that local youth have overtaken the non-Nagas in ‘chole’ business.
Sharing his story, the vendor said he lost his left forearm in 2012 from a tragic accident but embraced the challenges to keep him going rather than resigned himself to fate.
“This street food stall has nothing to do with my disability. I just want to encourage more locals to join the street food business,” he said.
On the saturated unemployment opportunity in the government sector, Zecho leaves a message saying, “If you want government job, that’s up-to you. But in the meantime, you can come to the street and earn your pocket money.”
He also desired that more local street vendors must continue at all time and more vendors should come up.
In order to enable local economy grow, he has appealed to go for local food products ‘even if it is some few bucks extra.’ He was of the opinion that only through such activity, money would be circulated among the locals.
Former 1st runner-up of the Miss Nagaland 2018 and Miss Wokha 2017, Grace Ezung, remarked that it is more of a passion to start a street food stall. She along with three other friends are running a food stall.
She said, “It is a big experience for us. To be frank, the first day experience was so difficult.”
Interacting with
Eastern Mirror, Grace Ezung shared that they started their business few weeks back. They start their business daily from 4 pm till 9:30 pm.
Sharing her motives to start a business, she said ‘as students, we want work on our own and be independent rather than being dependent on parents.’
“Nagas are always ready for ready-made products, why not sweat and earn on our own,” queried Ezung while hectically chopping the onions and coriander leaves as her mates busied themselves with other errands.
Commenting on the venture for street food she said, “Why don’t we start by ourselves instead of waiting from our parents. Nagaland has huge natural resources we can start with any business rather focussing on the government/ white collar jobs. People think this a low job but according to me as human beings, we need to earn and there is no such thing big job and small job.”
She also shared that with more experience, comes more knowledge and cheer.
When asked what inspired them to start street food business, the beauty queen said, “Inspiration can come from anywhere. I strongly believe in the dignity of labour.”
