
Happy place: Ramula Tiko and her friends in their new stalls
Since their stalls at the market were renovated by ForAfrika, two women have increased their income
Connie Akware
Ramula Tiko and Chandiru Faima are friends who both work as vendors at Ndirindiri market in the Palorinya refugee settlement in Uganda. Rumala, 58, is a refugee from South Sudan and Chandiru, 49, is from the community that hosts her.
Both women participated in ForAfrika’s vegetable garden project, where they received quick-maturing vegetable seeds, technical support and training on agricultural production.
Ramula used to work as a labourer on someone else’s farm but once she had her own garden and the skills necessary to cultivate it successfully, she was better able to provide for her family. She was able to sell her surplus produce at the market.
However, although she and Chandiru were able to generate an income, they were also losing a lot of stock to bad weather, crime and unsanitary conditions which prevailed at the market.
ForAfrika listened
ForAfrika listened to their struggles and assisted the women by rebuilding their market stalls.
“ForAfrika built us stalls and this has minimised the losses and theft of our products. We get more customers because our stalls are clean and organised,” said Ramula gratefully.
Since the completion of these market stalls, Ramula has increased her earning threefold.
“This has aided in supporting my household. I am able to restore my dignity as well as provide basic needs for my family and school fees for my children. I buy my own seeds with my profits.”
Chandiru agreed and explained how the higher income has revived her dreams. She is now able to keep her children in school, something which is very important to her. “I am grateful for support from ForAfrika for reviving my dream of educating my children, so that they can support me when I am old,” she said.
Connie Akware is Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant in Uganda