A Close Shave: the Smooth Barber of Kamba stage
This
photo story follows the daily business of a young entrepreneur and his barber
shop. Crafted together with rough-hewn timber,
the barber shop measures about 7 feet by 7 feet; just enough to
move
about and cut hair. With a patched electrical cord from his
small
house situated just steps behind his shop, the Smooth Barber of Kamba Stage has
a radio and shaver
charged up and ready for business. For only 5 Kwacha (or US 12 cents) a haircut,
the barber shop can become very busy, especially late in the afternoon.
The
Smooth Barber is part of Malawi’s informal economy, largely a response to the
lack of employment in the industrial or business sectors. As the financial
obligations of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank slowly erode
Malawi’s control over their own economy and cripple their educational
institutions, more and more people are turning to the informal economy for their
survival.
