More than 400 female vendors at the Nausori Market now do not have to wake up early in the morning or spend their nights along the market corridor, bus stands or streets waiting for the market to open following the opening of the Nausori Market Women’s Accommodation Centre.
Speaking during the opening of the $629,380 Accommodation Centre, Minister for Commerce Faiyaz Koya says they have 1,179 vendors in the Nausori Market out of which 443 are women.
He says 53% of these women are from the interior of rural areas in Fiji. Koya says the women come from Tailevu, Rewa and Naitasiri and some even come from as far as Rakiraki and Ba.
The Minister further says they are providing mothers, sisters and daughters a decent working environment where they will have their own kitchen, cleaner restrooms, laundry facilities and a sleeping area with proper beds. He says the Centre will assist the Nausori Town Council to generate additional income, which will eventually help subsidize the rate charged to the vendors and can be used for maintenance of the facility.
Koya has also thanked Markets for Change and UN Women for providing assistance in building the Centre.
