The informal sector is flourishing in the heart of Paramaribo, where hardworking entrepreneurs offer a wide range of services. However, climate change is causing frequent extreme weather events, such as downpours, heat waves and rising sea levels, making it difficult for these entrepreneurs to continue their activities and maintain their income.
“When it rains, the water is almost knee high. I have invested a lot, if my clothes get wet, I am the big loser,” says JP, a hardworking clothing seller in the Jodenbreestraat. Extreme climate changes such as downpours and heat waves have gripped the informal sector in Suriname, forcing entrepreneurs to protect their belongings and fight for their existence.
This shoe and tools are on a table that should serve as a workshop for a shoemaker on Maagdenstraat.
The informal micro-entrepreneurs in the Jodenbreestraat, Maagdenstraat and Heiligenweg who continue to persevere despite the challenges, tell their story. “We depend on this sale. When a car stops, we go into the water to sell,” says a seller of fruits and candied fruits. Concerns about climate change are increasing, as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report reveals. Urban areas will increasingly experience extreme climate change, significantly affecting health and informal livelihoods.
This story was published by Starnieuws with the support of the Caribbean Climate Justice Journalism Fellowship, which is a joint venture between Climate Tracker and Open Society Foundations.
