The bicycle that feeds a family
Petrus Johannes, a father of five, relies on a heavily loaded bicycle to transport firewood from Angola to Namibia to support his family. He faces constant economic uncertainty and the threat of local authorities confiscating his bicycle for selling outside designated markets.
Why it matters
The story illustrates the precarious nature of informal cross-border trade and the impact of municipal regulations on the livelihoods of the extreme poor.
The bicycle is old and heavily loaded with bundles of firewood.
Every morning before sunrise, Petrus Johannes (45) grips the handlebars and begins pushing it towards Oshikango. He cannot ride it. The load is simply too heavy.
Instead, the father of five walks nearly 10km from Oihole village in Angola to Namibia, hoping the firewood strapped to the bicycle would earn him enough to feed his wife and children.
For Johannes, the bicycle is not just a means of transport. It is the difference between putting food on the table and going home empty-handed.
“I cannot ride it because the bundles are too heavy,” he says. “I have to push it all the way.”
For the past five years, selling firewood has been the family’s only source of income. Every trip begins with hope and ends with uncertainty.
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