Da Zeng couldn’t stop laughing at me. “You’re so tall, perfect for this job,” the Taiwanese woman told me as I used my 197-centimetre height to hold a sweet potato above a crowd of pedestrians in downtown Taipei. In terribly broken Mandarin, I was encouraging people to buy this freshly roasted snack.
The sweet potato mama
I soon did my first deal, earning a thumbs-up from my mentor Da Zeng, a single mother who's surviving the coronavirus pandemic thanks to these potatoes. In Taiwan, Da Zeng is what's called a "sweet potato mama".
That’s also the name of this successful social welfare initiative, through which underprivileged single mothers in Taiwan get free access to portable ovens for roasting sweet potatoes, one of the territory's favourite snacks.
The twist is that these women make extra money by inviting tourists to work with them, offering travellers an unusual and immersive Taiwanese experience for a fee of $43 per person.
While my trip to Taipei came before the pandemic, the sweet potato mama project has continued to support these women through the global crisis.
Taiwan has done a remarkable job of containing Covid-19. Despite a population of 24 million people, it has registered fewer than 12,000 infections during the entire pandemic.
Countering Covid-19
This success is largely down to tough government policies. Taiwanese residents who’ve returned to the territory during the pandemic have had to do long, mandatory quarantines on arrival, while Taiwan has been closed to tourists for more than a year.
The absence of foreign travellers has seen the daily revenue of the potato mamas drop by at least 20 per cent, according to Shirley Fang, spokeswoman for Topology Travel, which arranges the tours. Ms Fang says the early months of the pandemic were particularly tough for the mothers involved in the initiative. Taiwan was in varied states of lockdown during that time, so they had been restricted in their work.
Over the past nine months, however, Taiwan has allowed almost complete freedom of movement for its people, so these women have been busy. There are 20 sweet potato mamas in Taipei and about 50 across Taiwan. This initiative was started just over a decade ago by Taiwan’s Genesis Social Welfare Foundation.
Building small businesses
Genesis gives the sweet potato mamas free access to portable potato roasters, which they wheel around the city, as well as a couple of bags of free potatoes when they first join the programme. After that, they only pay for the raw potatoes.
Ms Fang says the programme not only teaches these single mothers how to establish a small business, but also gives them flexibility, as their children are allowed to join them as they work.
The women also receive a generous cut of the fee paid by participants in the two-hour "sweet potato mama tours" offered by Topology and several other Taiwanese travel companies.
Potato tours
During my eight years as a full-time travel journalist, this tour has been one of my most unique experiences. I met Da Zeng and the three other participants in this tour – a Singaporean woman and her two young daughters – at a small warehouse in central Taipei, where we collected the roasting device and some sacks of potatoes. As we walked towards the street-side location where she intended to sell, I began to learn about Da Zeng via an interpreter, tour guide Tess Yeh.
Da Zeng is one of the programme’s resounding success stories. The second woman to join the initiative, her only child was just 1 year old at the time. Without the support of a husband, she feared she would not be able to properly look after her child. More than a decade later, Da Zeng makes a liveable and steady income from selling roasted potatoes, and her child is in junior high school.
Basic treats
Da Zeng’s experience was immediately evident as we set up her stall next to the entrance of a busy subway station. With nimble fingers she cleaned and cut the potatoes at a roaring speed. Next, she dumped some of them into the drum-shaped, coal-fired oven. Then it was my turn.
There I was, on a street corner, bellowing “di gua hao chi”, which translates as “sweet potato is very delicious”. My loud, persistent efforts prompted many smiles from amused passers-by. Soon we had a steady stream of customers. Some asked for their potatoes to be peeled, others preferred to eat them skin and all.
These roasted potatoes are the simplest of snacks – consumed with your hands and without added sauce. This basic treat has been popular in Taiwan for more than 400 years, and during my two-hour tour, we sold dozens. As we parted ways, Da Zeng gave me one final thumbs up.
When Taiwan finally reopens to tourists, I hope to join Topology’s other social welfare tour. Run in conjunction with non-profit organisation Homeless Taiwan, this programme lets homeless people in Taipei earn money by showing tour participants parts of the city they know well, while sharing their own experiences and back stories.
Tourism has the power to change lives in Taiwan. And the charming sweet potato mama, Da Zeng, is concrete proof of that.
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The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
SPEC%20SHEET
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First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Valladolid v Osasuna (Kick-off midnight UAE)
Saturday Valencia v Athletic Bilbao (5pm), Getafe v Sevilla (7.15pm), Huesca v Alaves (9.30pm), Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Real Sociedad v Eibar (5pm), Real Betis v Villarreal (7.15pm), Elche v Granada (9.30pm), Barcelona v Levante (midnight)
Monday Celta Vigo v Cadiz (midnight)
Results
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
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The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The currency conundrum
Russ Mould, investment director at online trading platform AJ Bell, says almost every major currency has challenges right now. “The US has a huge budget deficit, the euro faces political friction and poor growth, sterling is bogged down by Brexit, China’s renminbi is hit by debt fears while slowing Chinese growth is hurting commodity exporters like Australia and Canada.”
Most countries now actively want a weak currency to make their exports more competitive. “China seems happy to let the renminbi drift lower, the Swiss are still running quantitative easing at full tilt and central bankers everywhere are actively talking down their currencies or offering only limited support," says Mr Mould.
This is a race to the bottom, and everybody wants to be a winner.
