Nguick is a village whose economy is centered around agriculture and trade. Here, trade is a very dynamic practice that involves the purchase of fish by the Wolof population in nearby villages, as well as the purchase of vegetables and hand-crafted items among community members. However, despite the importance of this activity, the village does not have a centralized market, so sales typically take place at stalls in front of individual houses. This causes inefficiencies in marketing and revenue acquisition and limits people’s access to the purchase of fresh vegetables. The project to build a community market was initially one of three ideas but was chosen over the construction of a maternity ward or vegetable processing plant because it brings the most benefit to the most people. While the market’s location was being chosen, the CorpsAfrica Volunteer and the Mayor of Mont-Rolland trained 60 women in the production of disinfectant wash and 40 women in dyeing cloth. These women will then be able to use these skills to create products to sell in the market, giving them new economic opportunities. To ensure long-term monitoring and evaluation, the local women’s group has established a committee to oversee the production and management of the market.
Project Highlights
The successful construction of a community market will be beneficial to everyone because it will facilitate the flow of products between individuals, including the circulation of fresh vegetables which are essential for good nutrition.
This presents an opportunity to improve upon food quality, as well as encourage profitable economic activity.
The presence of a market will also allow for further development of the village through taxes that can be levied on an organized system of trade.