Title: The Beni school supply market awaiting the start of the new school year
Introduction :
As the 2023-2024 school year approaches, the school supply market in Beni, in the province of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is experiencing a worrying drop in activity. Sellers are noticing a lack of enthusiasm from parents, mainly due to non-payment by state agents and officials. This worrying situation highlights the financial difficulties faced by many families. Let’s take a closer look at the reasons for this drop in interest and the hopes that remain for sellers.
Parents without financial means to buy school supplies:
According to sellers of school supplies on the Kilokwa market in Beni, the main reason for the lack of enthusiasm from customers is the non-payment of state agents and civil servants. Parents, deprived of financial resources, encounter difficulties in meeting the educational needs of their children. This situation directly impacts sales on the market, leaving sellers in a worrying situation.
The central market of Kilokwa in lack of customers:
The atmosphere at Kilokwa Central Market is calm, without the usual rush of parents looking for school supplies. Sellers testify to this drop in activity, highlighting parents’ lack of money as the main factor. The current times are difficult, and sellers are aware that their customers are facing significant financial challenges. However, some remain optimistic about the influx of customers as the start of the school year approaches.
The depreciation of the Congolese franc against the US dollar:
In addition to the non-payment of state agents and civil servants, another reason explains the decline in enthusiasm on the Beni school supply market: the depreciation of the Congolese franc against the US dollar. This unfavorable economic situation impacts the purchasing power of parents and complicates the acquisition of the necessary supplies for the start of the school year. A customer claims to have had to tighten her belt to buy some classic objects, thus testifying to the difficulties encountered by many families.
Diminished but surviving hopes:
Despite this worrying drop in activity, some sellers remain confident about the future influx of customers. School registrations have just started in some schools in the region, they hope that parents will come in large numbers on the eve of the start of the school year. However, it is essential that the agents and civil servants of the State are paid in order to relieve the families and to revive the local economy..
Conclusion :
The school supply market in Beni, in the province of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is going through a difficult period as the 2023-2024 school year approaches. Vendors note a lack of customer enthusiasm, due to the non-payment of state agents and civil servants, as well as the depreciation of the Congolese franc against the US dollar. Despite these challenges, hope remains, with sellers counting on an influx of customers on the eve of the start of the school year