Combining wholesale and retail areas, Samgori market is a fascinating ecosystem. It offers a multitude of goods and services, but the main activity is the sale of fresh food products. Trade in goods relies on a fleet of delivering trolleys which are the only ones able to make their way in the cramped and busy alleys of the market.

I have, from my very first visit at Samgori, been captivated by the trolleys and the men who operate them. Each and every day, they deliver over and over the food that reaches our plates, like an army of coolies belonging to the past or other parts of the world. The trolleys are almost all the same, a modern version of handcarts, equipped with big wheels to deal with the rugged and sometimes muddy terrain of the market. They are pulled, pushed or both depending on the shipment’s weight and the gradient of the route.

The trolley pullers are the first in action, early in the morning, when the market wakes up. They are available on demand and usually stationed in the wholesale areas of the market as this is where the activity is at its peak. They carry virtually anything but mostly food products.

Laïtsa is the first trolley puller I had photographed, over a year ago. I had been impressed immediately by his distinguished appearance and his advanced age, contrasting with his job. I remember he had kissed me when I had brought him his portrait. He is an old and kind man who always greets me with a big smile when we cross paths at the market.

Laïtsa is 80 years old and was born in Sokhumi, in the now separatist region of Abkhazia. Like many, he had to flee Abkhazia in 1993, during the independance war, and took refuge in Tbilisi. He then started to work as a trolley puller at Samgori. He is beginning his 25th year at the market. Many refugees like him or migrants from neighboring countries have ended up working here as it doesn’t require specific skills except for some obvious physical strength ad the capacity for hard work.

A trolley puller put the name of his home city Sokhumi as a tribute, ironically written in Russian.

Laïtsa is entitled a 180 Laris retirement pension and a 45 Laris refugee pension from the State but he reimburses an advance and receives only 130 Laris monthly (about 50 US$). This is not enough to live on, even in Georgia, and he still needs to work.

Laïtsa starts delivering at 5AM. He unloads trucks and delivers the merchandise around the market. He finishes around 11AM as the activity slows down. He makes about 10-12 Laris a day, about 4-5 US$. Fares are calculated per box or bag that are delivered anywhere within the market for 50 Tetris (0.5 Laris) each. While they are not organized as a proper corporation, trolley pullers all practice the same prices.

Trolley pullers are independent workers and most of them rent their trolley for 2-3 Laris per day. They also pay a daily market entrance fee of 2 Laris. Laïtsa, as a pensioner, is exempted from these charges and all the money he makes goes into his pocket.

In between fares, trolley pullers wait patiently and get some rest. In order to guaranty the continuous flow of merchandise, trolley supply exceeds demand and trolley pullers deal with long waiting periods.

Trolleys are also used by some vendors. For 2 Laris they can transport their merchandise to their vending spot and then use the trolley as stall for the rest of the day. 

Because of the physical strength it requires, trolley pullers are all men but they are sometimes accompanied by women, either relatives helping by pushing the trolley when the load is sizeable or customers requiring help to carry their purchases. 

Pulling trolleys is obviously a hard and little rewarding work but it allows many with no alternative to be active, to feel useful, worthy, and to make some money decently. They are one of the many examples of resilience against tribulations in life. At a time when new technologies promise to deliver mankind from arduous work I wonder what will happen to the trolley pullers of Samgori market and other laborers like them in the future. Will they be simply wiped out for better efficiency and because our technology allows it?

“The trolleys of Samgori” full portfolio is here