The residents of Sukuta Salagi, Yonna, Mariama Kunda, Labakoreh and Sarre Pateh opened a new community market and this was graced by women leaders, youth leaders and elders of Sukuta on Sunday 12th June, 2022.
Faye Darboe, 53 years old mother said: “We are very excited for the opening of this market in our own community. It used to be so tough on us (vendors) who frequently go to Serrekunda or Sinchu Alagie markets to sell our products.”
He added: “We have had our challenges at the Serrekunda market where we have always been harassed and vacated places where we want to sell our problems.
Sometimes Municipal police will seize your products just for occupying the wrong but with this new market all those troubles are behind us now.”
According to her, lack of market for the communities prompted their resolve to approaching the families in Sukuta for a piece of land, adding that their request for the market was granted for the women of Sukuta Salagi to found their own market with some funding from members of the community to kick start the project.
Awa Joof, another resident of Sukuta Salagi expressed her joy regarding the new community market, recalling the challenges situation women encounter to travel to other communities to do shopping before they can provide food for their families.
She pointed out that the new market has attracted a lot of resident women vendors who travel to Serrekunda daily to do business, noting that these women have already secured their spaces, erected their canteens and have already started selling at the market.
“All we are calling for is support from the government, area council and individual Gambian to us with funding to complete this market. All the vendors here are all women who are breadwinners for their families and there is no doubt that today all the women here are feeling happy and relieved,” said Awa Joof.
She added: “This market will not only serve the women of Sukuta Salagi but equally Yonna, Labakorey, Sarre Pateh, Mariama Kunda among others.
All these communities are without a market, this is why this market is important to the women living around this catchment area.”
Bintu Colley, Secretary General of Sukuta-Salagi Unity Association (SSUA) revealed that more than eight hundred (800) women vendors have already registered to secure a place at the market, adding that those registered are mainly residents of Sukuta-Salagi, Labakorey, Yonna, Mariama Kunda and Sarre Pateh.
She commended the families of Sukuta for providing the land to the women of the area to build their own market, adding that no cost was attached for the allocation of the land with the view to easing the sufferings of the women.
Lamin Jatta, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Sukuta-Salagi Unity Association (SSUA) commended the women of the area for taking ownership of the market, adding that the market will go a long way to helping women of the community who pays lot of fares to different markets to do shopping for their families.
He also calls on Gambia Government and Brikama Area Council (BAC) to chip in and support the women of the area to develop the market to a standard one, adding that the families of Sukuta provided the land at no cost and it will be prudent for Area Council and government to join this crusade to giving the market a facelift.