Roselyn Ghaokale, a local farmer from Reko, northeast of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, relies heavily on her garden crops for her daily survival. In this rural area, she plants crops, vegetables, and fruits, which she then sells at the market to make ends meet. Solomon Women was fortunate to catch up with her selling inKori, tomatoes, eggplant, and dry coconut.
For Roselyn, waking up early to prepare her products for sale is a demanding task. “It’s a big hard work finding foods and preparing them to bring to the market, and traveling to the market is also expensive; paying fees also costs a lot,” she explains. The income she earns from selling her local produce helps her support herself and her family, allowing them to purchase basic essential needs from the shop.
Roselyn speaks on behalf of the women of Reko, urging the responsible authorities to address the need for a vehicle to transport their market goods from Reko village to the Central Market. The current costs of transportation, market fees, and other related expenses are too high, making it difficult for them to afford even basic necessities and other family needs. “We need a truck; that is what we need at home. Coming here for the market, the cost of transport is high. When we come here to the market, we just sell our products to pay for rice, soap, and the truck fare, and we’re left with nothing. We have to start all over again,” Ms. Ghaokale states
By : Shoreyann Ragoso, Isles Media – Women’s Desk
