It is a dry and dusty land where people, particularly women, depend on agriculture and domestic livestock keeping, as well as being entrepreneurs. However, they have had difficulties accessing good markets.
“If I want to sell my vegetables there are only two options, either to walk from house to house or go to a next village, that’s four kilometres from here, not only for sellers, as well as buyers, this was a problem that we needed to address,” explains Fredina Said.
Fredina is a residence of Negezi village, she and many other women are eager to do business, but are pulled back by the set up of the market structure within their village. When one decides to do any kind of business he or she has to walk eight kilometres to and from the next market centre. That was a challenge that her and other women as well as men faced.
She is one among many other farmer animators in Kishapu district, Shinyanga Region. Farmer animator is one of Oxfam’s Chukua Hatua pilots which aims to create active citizenship; empowering citizens to know their rights and demand for quality services and good management of public resources from their leaders and officials.
The pilot aimed at empowering farmers to search for information and be agents of change in their community. They were trained on how to ask and where to find information as well as being able to influence other farmers to do the same.
Through animation skills she organised other women in her village using her home group called Jitolee Group with ten women members. They wrote a letter to the village government asking for a market place. They used one of their group members Mary Makwaya, who is also a member of the village council, to make sure the letter is put as an agenda during the council meetings.
“Village Government saw the potentiality of having the market place in our village; they discussed and replied our letter that they have agreed to grant us a place for market. This have been our great achievement, we are waiting for it to start officially,” narrates Fredina.
In addition, one of assignment that animators were given was to visit their respective district council offices and ask for income and expenditure information from the District Executive Director; there they observed that Mwadui Mining Company Ltd does not contribute anything to the district budget.
This was shocking news to the animators,. Fredina and other animators from other villages of Kishapu district took the issue seriously and are planning to take to all village councils so it can be taken to the next level.
Responding to a question on how they will make sure it reaches decision makers since they don’t have mandatory like leaders; MP or councillor.
“We will have to work with our councillor as a starting point, so far we are trying to lobby our ward councillor so that he can work with others from neighbouring wards so ones the agenda is tabled, and they can join their voices,” replying Fredina Said.
Women at Negezi village are now aware of their rights and are becoming active, as the village leaders have granted them mar-ket area after sending a request to be allocated the same, explained Josephine Malima.
Josephine says that if market is built it will be of great help to women and villagers at Negezi village.
She adds that, market will help them to get income for them to provide necessary needs to their children at home and in school as well as their families. And will help them to be independent.
Ferdina Said from Negezi village in Kishapu district in Shinyanga region.
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