Under the morning sun in Torit town, women traders carefully arranged tomatoes, greens and okra on clean wooden tables inside newly built market stalls a sharp change from the dusty ground where many had worked for years.
For traders like Mary Luka, selling vegetables has long meant working in difficult conditions, with produce exposed to dirt and health risks. Now, that is beginning to change.
The new vegetable stalls, built by the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), have been officially handed over to the Torit Women Cooperative Group and local authorities.
At least 245 people most of them women are expected to benefit from the facility, which aims to provide a safer and more organised space for small-scale traders.
Construction began in November 2025 as part of wider efforts to strengthen local markets and support communities facing economic hardship and reduced aid.
“This is primarily to help you become self-reliant,” said WPDI Country Manager Dagu David during the handover ceremony.
He encouraged traders to take care of the facility and make full use of the opportunity.
For many women, the new stalls represent more than just a place to sell goods.
“The construction will make us stand strong during this crisis,” said trader Martha Peter, pointing to the lack of stable incomes in the area.
Local officials say the project could help revive business in the town.
Mayor Oyito Baptist Soforonio described the opening as a long-awaited development and urged the community to support and protect the market.
Women leaders also welcomed the initiative. Linda Achol, representing the women’s union in Eastern Equatoria State, said the stalls had given traders both a cleaner working environment and renewed confidence.
However, some vendors say more support is still needed, including additional shelters to accommodate growing numbers and maintain hygiene.
For now, the new market offers a visible sign of progress where cleaner spaces, small businesses and renewed hope are taking shape in Torit.
