Misfortune and setbacks are a recurring theme both in my fieldwork among market women in Accra, Ghana and in my previous work on livelihoods in rural Uganda. The specific misfortunes frequently mentioned included theft, accidents, or illnesses. The consequences of such an episode could be life altering. After years of Read more…
The Ghanaian market is filled with a cacophony of sounds – vehicle engines and horns, the occasional radio playing music or talk shows, women calling to potential customers, and in some markets, loudspeakers blasting to make market-wide announcements. Distinct calls are made for certain kinds of goods. Hawkers sell UV-treated Read more…
An experience with phone theft reveals how critical the phone had become for a wholesaler of plantains at a small market on the outskirts of Accra, Ghana. The mobile phone is critical to maintaining personal relationships with suppliers to ensure supply during seasonal periods of scarcity. It is an important Read more…
Ivan Colic, art director at Zoom Advertising Cape Town, uses infographics to tell stories about a side of Africa that the press mostly neglects to tell. On his blog, Afrographique, he visualizes the continent’s incredible innovation, entrepreneurship schemes, art and history. This particular infographic depicts the percentage share of formal Read more…
A profile of an affluent market woman who sells cloth from her shop in Makola Market, central Accra, Ghana. …Read The Profile…