By Sarjo Brito
Laying on a mat next to the vegetables she is selling, staring at one place and wondering where the next meal will come from. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic is no doubt taking a toll on market vendor Musu Meta Manneh. Meta sells vegetables at the Serrekunda market to provide for her family, but the outbreak of the deadly virus has left her with little to feed them.
‘’I think you found me laying on an empty mat. Some of my produce are left at the store where I keep them, and some are right behind me. Whatever I sell from here is what I use to put food on the table. This does not just apply to me, but most Gambian women especially those in this market. We start selling at 9am and we are asked to close by 1pm when we have not made a single profit out of what we are selling. How do you expect me to survive?’’
Meta said business is not as usual and help is not coming their way.
‘’Whether you know it or not, we the market vendors are struggling. If you are going to ask someone to sit at home, you will have to give them an alternative. We have heard about the government relief packages, but it only stopped at hearing. Neither me nor any woman in this market has benefitted from it’’.
A market official who spoke to The Fatu Network on condition of anonymity said asking the women vendors to leave the market at 1pm has been extremely difficult. The official said the women have been resistant to the municipal police, forcing officers of The Gambia Police Force to storm the market on Saturday to enforce the health regulation.
