Inside Kaduna’s ‘all women’ community market

Women from various communities in Kaduna State now converge along the Umaru Yar’adua road in Millennium city of Chikun Local Government Area of the state to engage in trading activities. The women, Daily Trust gathered come from Malali, Kawo, Kaduare, Danbushia, Badarawa and Sabon Gero communities to sell mostly food items such as tomatoes, pepper and spring onions, sweet potatoes, sugar cane and yams.  

Speaking with our correspondent, the women explained that most of their goods are sold at cheaper rates because they are sourced directly from the farms at Kurmin Kaduna. One of the women, Hafsat Atiku, said women are now forced to make ends meet in the face of the current economic hardship across the country. “I have been selling vegetables for over a year in my house; I leave the house early to get my goods which I then sell in my community. However, about six months ago, I was told about this market where other women sell their goods and I decided to join.”

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She said the journey has been challenging but thanked God for His blessings and mercy saying, “without this trade, I don’t know how my family would have survived. With the little I make from the trade, I am able to meet my family needs.” She called on husbands to support their wives by allowing them to engage in a trade of their choice so they can contribute to the development of the home.

Also speaking with our correspondent, Aisha Adamu, another trader in the market, said she is now able to take care of her children and pay their school fees. “My husband is alive and he is doing the best he can but I decided to start the trade to complement his efforts. This life is about helping each other because things have gotten so bad in every aspect,” she said.

The leader of the market women, Saudatu Shuaib, said most of the women who engage in trading in the market are widows who have orphans to care for. She however lamented that their source of livelihood is being threatened by security agents enforcing the state government policy which has place a ban on roadside markets.  

“Right now, we have been asked to vacate our current location because of a state government policy on roadside markets. We want to appeal to the government to empower women with capital and provide scholarships for our children in order to ease our hardship,” she said.

She also appealed to the government to ensure speedy completion of the state government market located in Millennium City so they can have a permanent location to sell their goods.