Every morning at 4 a.m., Litia Ladoge begins her day while most of Wailekutu is still asleep. By sunrise, the delightful scents of fried fish, homemade baked goods, and hot tea waft through her kitchen, creating an inviting atmosphere. Ms. Ladoge operates a small food stall by the roadside, a business she has successfully managed for the past four years.
Her entrepreneurial journey began during a challenging time for her family when her husband was unemployed. “I had to find another way to support the family,” she recalls. This necessity led an elderly couple to provide her with a small space to set up her stall, and from this modest location, she serves hot meals, juice, tea, and assorted snacks to an array of passing customers.
Despite the unpredictable nature of her business, with better sales typically noted on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, the earnings from her food stall, paired with her husband’s income, play an essential role in supporting their extended family, including her sister’s two daughters who are still in school.
Operating a roadside stall does come with its challenges. Ms. Ladoge sometimes endures hurtful remarks from passersby. “Sometimes people say rude things, and it hurts,” she admits, but she refuses to let negativity deter her. She maintains a positive attitude, emphasizing the importance of being polite and friendly to everyone who stops by. “You meet different people every day, so it’s important to smile and be welcoming,” she affirms.
Reflecting on her past, Ms. Ladoge, a former student of Nakauvadra High School, acknowledges she did not take her education seriously, regretting not focusing on her studies. This experience drives her to share invaluable advice with young people: “Everybody has talents. If you can cook, arrange flowers, sing, play music, do something with that talent. Turn it into income. Support yourself and your family.”
Ms. Ladoge’s aspirations are not centered around expanding her business or opening a restaurant. Instead, she has simpler, deeply personal dreams. “I don’t have big plans,” she reveals. “I just want to take it one day at a time.” In the long run, she hopes to save enough money to build a house in the village where she and her husband can retire peacefully.
Each day is long for Ms. Ladoge, who works from the early hours until around eight or nine at night. She embraces hard work as essential, especially with the cost of living continually rising. “Life is not easy. Prices of goods and services keep going up,” she states, advocating for the utilization of one’s skills and talents to earn for their families.
Thus, before dawn breaks each day, she recommits to her journey—modestly, steadily laboring towards a dream that, though simple, is filled with purpose and determination.
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