Donate

Vendor moments 2017: “It feels like I moved one step up the stairs”

Makoto Ueno, 47, sells The Big Issue Japan outside Kyoto Station in Tokyo

My most memorable moment of 2017 was when my favourite pop group retired from their singing career.

I had never cooked much in my life and had always been kind of a loner. But for the first time in my life, I cooked curry with my fellow vendors as a team.  We then shared the curry with others.  It was good. This was my biggest achievement.

Changing my sales pitch has been a challenged but I am trying to get used to it.

I was able to move into temporary accommodation that is run by The Big Issue Japan where I can prepare for life in more stable accommodation. I never really wanted to move into an apartment before, so this is a surprise to me. It feels like I moved one step up the stairs, a step away from the street life. I will live here for 6 months. I am looking forward to being able to move into my own flat next year!