MAKKAH, 7 September 2007 — Dotted in and around the Grand Mosque in Makkah are groups of women who spend an average of 12 to 15 hours a day during the Haj and Umrah season selling items ranging from headscarves to honey to make a bit of extra cash to subsidize their families’ incomes.
Many of these women are grandmothers and often aged 50 or above. They select spots close to the Grand Mosque that are frequented by pilgrims to ply their wares and sit on the pavement with their goods spread out in front of them.
Munira Ali, a woman in her late 50s, spoke about her financial difficulties. She has two elderly daughters — one is divorced and the other is a widow. Both have children. “I spend most of my time selling stuff like this to make ends meet. I buy them from Al-Mina Market and sell the goods here. My daughters are good at sewing and they also give me some of their goods to sell here,” said Ali.
“My divorced daughter remarried. I couldn’t bear my grandchildren being brought up under their stepfather and so decided to look after them. I don’t have any other type of income apart from what I earn selling these items,” she added.
Umm Ali, another street seller, said she finds it frustrating that some people comment on the poor quality of the goods that she sells. “Can’t they take into consideration our ages and our poor financial situation? They tend to make these comments in order to get price reductions,” she said, adding that the municipal authorities also hound them.
Umm Ali buys goods in bulk for any amount between SR500 and SR1,500. “I started out selling simple stuff to pilgrims. Now I have increased the number of stuff that I sell. My husband doesn’t work, he’s old and on a pension. His pension isn’t enough for us and so I sell,” she said.
Another woman, who sells henna and did not want her name to be published, said sometimes people steal things. “They come running. I can’t run after them and I leave it all to Allah.”
She said that she comes after Asr prayer and stays until 11 p.m. During Ramadan she also works in the morning. “I work to help my husband. He isn’t Saudi and doesn’t have a job to pay for the expenses of our six children,” she said.
A woman called Fadila Barakat owned the next stall. She had left her items with her 29-year-old daughter, as she was not feeling well. Her daughter, who did not want to give her name, said she is divorced. “I just wish the authorities would build a women’s market where these old women could come and sell their goods comfortably,” she said.
Noura Dakheel, who is sitting next to Fadila’s daughter, said: “Although we don’t know how to read and write, we’re good at calculating and can compete well with proper shops that sell similar items close by.”
Other women said that they do not only sell in the streets, but also make door-to-door calls. Umm Muhammad said she also visits wedding halls and sells things there. “I also sell to neighbors and friends at their houses. The cash I get from this job helps a lot in paying the rent and other bills,” she said, adding that two of her sons died in a car accident and that a third lost his job after falling sick.
Despite all their suffering, these women take life in their stride and rise up to the challenges. Every now and again they take a break and share cups of Arabic coffee with dates and drink Zamzam.