Ibu Armina - Kios Takjil

During the fasting month Bu Armina switches to selling snacks for people after the evening prayer

Good afternoon, Ibu. Do you have time to talk to us?

Yes, but soon prayers will finish and people will start coming out from the mosque. They will want to buy from me so I need to keep working while we talk, is that okay?

Of course. So I think this kind of food is specially for Ramadan, right?

That’s right, it’s for breaking fast. Normally I sell nasi warteg nearby, but there’s no customers for that because everyone is fasting.

How long have you been selling food in this area, Ibu?

So long that I can’t even remember, 30 or 40 years at least!

And how does Ramadan fasting affect your business? Do you make more money selling rice or snacks?

The rice is definitely more profitable; we get customers all day and people will come from all the offices nearby. The problem is that warteg are mostly popular around lunchtime, when people are fasting, not in the evening.

Do you always work by yourself?

I normally prepare everything by myself, but my husband will come and help me when we get a lot of customers.

Finally, will you be going home for lebaran this year?

Actually I’m a Betawi, originally from Jakarta, but I’ll go to visit my husband’s family in Pekalongan, central Java.

Thanks, Ibu.