Impact of Sidewalk Business Enterprise in Sustaining Urban Livelihoods in Southern Ethiopia

The main purpose of this study has been to identify and draw attention to the situation of vendors and vendor activities in the study area. It attempted to provide a picture of the future trajectory of vending as informal economic activity. In order to achieve this objective a sample of 140 street vendors were selected and relevant data were gathered and analyzed. The findings of the study revealed a variety of vendor activities. The study also revealed that the majority of street vendors joined sidewalk business due to economic  hardships in their lives and to provide sustenance for themselves and their dependent families. Vending on street provides livelihood, source of  additional income and temporary employment to the urban poor and  relatively cheap goods for low income group urban population.