Our vendors: Cyril Mylambiso (The Big Issue South Africa, Cape Town)

When Cyril Mylambiso started selling The Big Issue South Africa in Cape Town four years ago, he had lost his job, separated from his girlfriend and felt like a failure because he couldn’t support his two children. 

Today, as he stands on the streets of Cape Town in his blue vendor bib, which states his main goal is to support his family, Cyril is proud proud to have held down a job for so long.

He explains how The Big Issue South Africa is helping him find better work opportunities and the confidence to rebuild his relationship with his children.

“I’ve been a Big Issue vendor for four years. It hasn’t been easy for me, because I could never hold down a job for too long. I don’t have many skills, so the jobs that I apply for are often contract positions, which eventually come to an end.

“When I lost my last gig, it really hit me hard. My girlfriend and I decided to part ways around the same time and I felt like a failure because I couldn’t support my two children, who were very young at the time. A friend from my neighbourhood told me about The Big Issue and I decided to give it a go.

“It feels good that I have been able to stay in one place for so long. Some people may think that selling the magazine is not a real job, but to me it is. 

“For the first time in my life I have been able to hold down a job. It has restored my confidence. I am dedicated to selling out each month. I make up to R250 a day – sometimes even more. I love selling the magazine and I am so happy to be the Vendor of the Month.

 “Right now I am not in a hurry to move on because I have been so happy, but I know that sooner or later I will have to move on to something better. The Big Issue is a hand up, not a hand out, so for my children I will have to seek employment where I can earn more.

“My advice to new vendors would be to make use of all the opportunities that The Big Issue offers. Right now, I am focused on improving sales but my goal for the year is to work on getting a new job.”

This is a summary of an article from The Big Issue South Africa made available to street papers in our network via the INSP News Service here.

Write on! Street paper vendors help promote literacy in Macedonia

Lice v lice vendors have been helping to promote Macedonian literature and improve reading habits by joining a special campaign run by electrical distribution company, EVN Macedonia.

On May 7, the street paper vendors attended the campaign's launch at the Skopje Book Fair to sell a special edition of the Lice v lice.

The issue was packed with feature articles, interviews and news reports that highlighted Macedonian writers and explored how literacy levels could be improved across the country.

Dressed in their Lice v lice uniforms, vendors also carried backpacks displaying large bookmarks emblazoned with the reading motto – “Create your habit" to promote the pleasure of reading.

The vendor team also handed out free books from several Macedonian publishers ("Tabernakul”, “Tri”, “Goten”, “Ars lamina”, “Magor”) to the first 100 readers that bought the magazine. A free anthology of work produced by young Macedonian authors was also given as a special freebie to every Lice v lice customer.

The event was hosted by Macedonian journalist, Ana Zafirova, and school pupil, Ana Stankovska. It also included poetry readings and several educational writing and drawing workshops for school children.

Famous Macedonian actress Verica Nedeska – Trajkova is the cover star of the latest Lice v lice magazine promoting literacy and literature.

Photos by Tomislav Georgiev.

(Cover pictured left - photography by Milena Viitman, design and illustration by Evgeny Viitman).


To learn more about promoting Macedonian literature and new authors, go to Raskazi.mk. For more Lice v lice news, click here.

Street paper covers from around the world April - May 2015

From funky art nouvea designs to stunning portraits and eye-catching illustrations, street papers across the world have been wowing readers with their recent covers.

Here's a few of our favourites.

...

Alex Ferguson tells street papers "I never pass a vendor on the street"

Alex Ferguson in Macedonian street paper Lice v lice.

The Big Issue's exclusive interview with Alex Ferguson has been a hit with street papers in Europe, Asia and the USA.

For more than a quarter of a century, Ferguson’s combustible presence and unique success made him the iconic face of English football.

The legendary manager opened up to The Big Issue's David McDonnell about his life post-Manchester United, revealing he is relishing retirement and the challenges beyond football management.

It turns out he’s also a big street paper fan: “I never pass a Big Issue vendor on the street, because these people aren’t begging - they’re trying to get back on their feet,” he revealed.

Alex Ferguson interview republished in Shedia, Greece.

"Sometimes, if they've only got one or two copies left, I just give them a tenner and say hello to them because they'll want to sell their last copies and get some more cash but I do like to read the articles.

"What is it they say ... 'A hand up, not a hand out?' Excellent!"

After being featured on INSP's News Service, the article was republished by Greek street paper Shedia, Ireland's Big Issue, Macedonian street paper Lice v lice, The Contributor, based in Nashville, USA, The Big Issue Japan, Hus Forbi in Denmark and German papers Die Strasse and Strassenfeger.

The article is still available for INSP street paper members to download and publish from the News Service here.

Alex Ferguson article republished by The Contributor in Nashville.

Ireland's Big Issue runs with The Big Issue's Alex Ferguson interview.