WESTERN EQUATORIA – Singing, dancing, and openly voicing their gratitude: The women of Yambio have finally seen their long-standing wish for a marketplace fulfilled.

Thanks to a United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Quick Impact Project, they now have two brand new buildings suitable for their commercial endeavours.

Cecilia Peter couldn't contain her joy. A new vegetable market had her celebrating with excitement.

“With this market, we will be able to solve our daily problems," said Cecilia, a honey and vegetable farmer from the community. She added that the market will help her and many others improve their financial situation by increasing their incomes.

The 50,000 USD project, implemented by the self-help Women Development Organization, will serve as a trading point for the produce of the predominantly farming people of Yambio. It will provide shelter for 40 local women retailers, improve the hygiene of the foodstuffs, and contribute to the health and well-being of the larger community.

Seba William, another businesswoman in Yambio, said the facility would help boost local trade and allow them to preserve goods like tomatoes, okra, cassava, and greens.

"The structure will help us store our harvests, which used to be under the sun and would sometimes dry up and rot. Now our vegetables can be stored in a cool place as we sell them. The money will help us provide for our children's feeding, school fees, and medical bills," she added.

An UNMISS Human Rights Officer in Yambio, Lydia Munyiva Muthian, said it is a unique and progressive project aiming to empower local women and enable them to progress alongside men.

"A women's vegetable market is an exceptional initiative that exemplifies the care of the people of Western Equatoria for their families, girls, and children. UNMISS pledges to continue to support the people of South Sudan to advance human rights, peace, security, and development," said Lydia.

Almost 90% of residents in Western Equatoria State are involved in subsistence farming and honey production. A good harvest would typically yield a significant surplus of produce, but without a suitable place for households to sell their products. That is, fortunately, no longer the case.