Kid Munchies – Vending with a purpose

You may have seen him in Woodford Square, Port of Spain, selling his locally made cassava khurma, but 29-year-old Matthew Singh's business goes beyond sales.

Singh uses his brand – Kid Munchies TT – as a tool for mental health and youth empowerment through social entrepreneurship.

As a Mt Hope psych ward outpatient receiving treatment for ADHD, Singh knows firsthand how developing social skills helps youths improve their mental health and build their dream businesses.

And what better way to do that than talking to strangers?

In a world where communication among young people is mostly confined to a digital screen, Singh takes a different approach.

In 2017, Singh and a small group of youths turned to vending in public spaces as both a way of starting their entrepreneurial journey and building the skills needed to market and engage customers.

Singh said the constant stream of people either declining sales or passing them by without a word gradually helped build his confidence, allowing him to add more personality to his brand and develop the conversational style he displays today.

This, Singh said, is crucial for youths looking to start sales and tourism-oriented businesses.

Having worked in the tourism industry in St Lucia, Singh has seen how the social aspects of entrepreneurship work hand-in-hand with the products to bolster the industry.

And that’s something he says TT can learn from in an effort to enhance our tourism sector and customer service culture.

"In other islands vending is something that I see people looking forward to and highlighting as a sort of cultural exchange...it’s not just about having something to sell, it’s about sharing our time and interacting, especially in recreational parks and spaces."

But Singh has noticed a different reality here in TT.

He said, in the last three years especially, vending has been met with increased stigmatisation.

"There was a social disconnect before but now there’s not just a social disconnect, it’s leading towards a more cultural disconnect…some people see what I'm doing as just a young person looking for help rather than just a regular vendor or business," he told Business Day during an interview on September 22.

"People say, ‘Why you don't get a real job? Why them things not on a shelf? Why you out in the hot sun?"

He said those types of comments are what made some of his peers decide to change to more traditional employment, but Singh said he has found a way to build on the rejection and plans to sow the seeds for a movement to break the stigma of vending and help youths challenged with mental health find the confidence to build their brands

As a social entrepreneur using his business’ profits to make an impact on his community, Singh plans to reopen his youth empowerment hub on Ariapita Ave – providing a space for sessions where young people can learn, share ideas and support each other.

He hopes the effect will go beyond the young people within the group and spread among the public.

Through encouraging open discussions about mental health, he hopes for a positive change to some of the social reluctance he sees in public spaces.

"Sometimes, because of the certainty I might approach people with, I’ve recognised that it increases their social anxiety as well.

"So it’s not always a matter of people looking down at what I do, but an indication of social anxiety among people in public.

"But many times I’ll have people who passed me by before, come back and we have a conversation.

"I've realised that a lot of people want to stop and interact but something stops them and when they reach down the road they might wonder more about my products and what I have to say about mental health."

This kind of entrepreneurship is already a growing sector in Jamaica, which channels market-based activities to address social and environmental issues.

In 2013, the Jamaican government developed the Micro Small Medium Enterprises and Entrepreneurship Policy, designed to adjust frameworks to offer targeted support for the sector that often lacks marketing and operational capacity.

Building on the government’s recognition, the Jamaica National Stock Exchange and the UNDP signed an MoU on June 11 to establish strategic support in the development of Jamaica’s sustainable finance and social entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Aiming to build capacity for private and social sector actors, the MoU is set to enhance the development of green, social, sustainable and sustainability-linked bonds as well as support the technical development of mechanics that address climate and biodiversity financing in Jamaica and regionally.

As Kid Munchies TT continues to provide locally sourced, traditional snacks like Tamarind Balls, Fudge and Sugar Cake, along with healthier alternatives like power bars made with honey, seeds, Singh also plans to introduce local chocolates and additional healthy snack options.

He said he hopes his efforts and others can bridge the gaps between business and the communities they operate in.