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Article: Foreign donors throw lifeline to struggling Congo.(World)
- Article from:
- The Christian Science Monitor
- Article date:
- January 3, 2002
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Christian Science Publishing Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Mike Crawley Special to The Christian Science Monitor
KINSHASA, CONGO -- Justin Olondo's shop once did a modest but steady business from the civil servants and casual laborers living in the Yolo neighborhood here. But as customers feel the pinch of the government's economic reforms, their buying habits are changing.
"Instead of [selling] a can of milk powder, I have to open it and sell them five or six spoonfuls," says Mr. Olondo. "People can afford that much, but not a whole can." Instead of selling rice or sugar by the sakombi (about 2 pounds), he sells them by the glass. He even has to cut tiny tins of tomato paste in half.
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