On the last day of campaigning in Guinea-Bissau, 20-year-old Caramba Souare focused on the car he was cleaning while loud celebrations echoed through the streets.
Having passed his final school exam this year but unable to afford further education, Souare now washes cars to support himself and his parents. He once dreamed of becoming finance minister, but limited opportunities and money forced him into informal work — a common story among the country's young people.
The tiny West African state ranks among the world's poorest: roughly 40 percent of the population live in extreme poverty, and people under 25 make up about 65 percent of its 2.2 million inhabitants. With persistent economic challenges and a history of political instability, many young Guineans are seeking tangible change.
Guinea-Bissau will elect a new president on Sunday. About 860,000 registered voters will choose among 12 candidates. Incumbent Umaro Sissoco Embalo is widely viewed as the favorite to win a second five‑year term. The vote is taking place without the main opposition party or its chosen candidate after both missed the deadline to submit their candidacies.
Souare was one of roughly a dozen young men washing cars along a curb in Bissau, using worn rags as soapy runoff dripped onto littered pavement. The work earns them up to 7,000 CFA francs (about $12) per day. Nearby, supporters of the incumbent played loud music into the street as campaigning wound down.
Young people interviewed across Bissau said they plan to vote and hope the next president will prioritize job creation and vocational training to expand access to steady work. "It's hard to find work," said Maxime Simao Ca. "The new president needs to focus on jobs and vocational training. That could make it easier for young people to enter the workforce."
Neia Te, a 30-year-old mother, walks nearly seven kilometres each day selling fruit balanced on a tray atop her head and earns at most 3,000 CFA francs a day. "It's very hard," she said, adding that she will vote to try to make a difference for her family.
Others voiced anxiety about the future and dreams of better opportunities abroad, though many rejected dangerous sea routes. For now, they are looking to the ballot box for leaders who can deliver training, jobs and stability after years of coups and unrest.
