STREET PORTRAITS
These street portraits highlight people at the Mallam Attah market and their natural environment displaying their daily activities serving as a source of income to their families and themselves. It gives one an idea of who these subjects are by getting to know them through their handwork.
This is Mr. Louis, a welder who works together with Mr. George and Mr. Richard at a welding shop. They all moved to Accra where they began the welding business. Currently, they can be located at the Mallam Attah market, Accra.
Aunty Mercy is a fishmonger who sells Tilapia at the Mallam Attah market. She has been in the business for 15 years. According to her, she buys the tilapia for GHS 97.00 or sometimes 93.00 making them quite expensive for customers to purchase. She hopes she is able to make sales in order to provide for her children and give them good education as well.
We met with Aunty Attaa, who is both a pepper seller and a plantain seller. She is a caring mother taking care of her children with the help of her business. She says market is good and that she has been in the business for more than fifteen (15) years.
This is Mr. George, owner of welding shop at the Mallam Attah market. He works together with Mr. Richard and Mr. Louis and has been in the business for more than thirty (30) years. He has three children in the primary level. He moved from the Volta region and settled here in Accra to begin his business and a family.
Mary Essuman, a tomato seller has been in her business for more than fifty (50) years. She stopped schooling to start this business on her own. She stated that she has seven (7) children and with the help of this business, she has been able to raise them. She is hoping that business goes on well so she is able to give them the bright future she desires for them.
Celestine, a fried yam seller at the Mallam Attah market helps her mum in her yam business. She has been in the business for forty (40) years assisting her mother. Sitting on her lap is her beautiful baby girl; the youngest child amongst her other children.
Meet Mrs Ajara, a mother and a grandmother who sells Shea butter at the Mallam Attah market for GHS 2.00. Unfortunately, she was unable to recall her age due to old age. She says she has been into this business for a very long time and explained that she used this business to take care of her children. Compared to then, things are now expensive and she makes fewer sales every day. Owing to this, she is unable to invest in her business.
This is Celestine's mother together with her grandchildren. She has been in the yam business for a long time before her daughter who has been in it for forty (40) years. Due to old age, she now assists her daughter at the Mallam Attah market by peeling off the yam for her to fry.
Charity Mensah, also at the Mallam Attah market, sells a variety of goods in the market. She sells beans of every kind, broken rice and maize. She has been in the business for twenty (20) years and has been able to use this hustle to raise her children who are currently in the University. Aside all the positive aspect, Charity complains about how market is bad and things being very expensive making the business slow.
We chanced upon Mrs Aryee who is also a fishmonger at the Mallam Attah market. She sells dry fish which is locally called 'Emane'. She’s been into the business for a long time, which dates back to when she was a young lady. Mrs Aryee has three children and they are all in secondary school.
Meet Mr. Richard, a welder at the Mallam Attah market, Accra. He works with Mr. George, together with Mr. Louis at a welding shop. These three have been in the business together for a long time.
This is Madam Akweley, a twin and a fishmonger who sells Tuna at the Mallam Attah market. She shared with us how she was born into the business and that she has been into this business for forty (40) years after inheriting it from her mother. She initially went to learn a vocational skill which is sewing which did not excel so she returned to the fish business since she enjoyed it better. According to Akweley, market is good although it has its challenges.
