COVID-19 lockdowns continue to impact the lives of everyone. In African economies, the women in informal economies have been the most affected with many of their businesses closing and others struggling to survive. In August this year, New Faces New Voices Nigeria conducted a study COVID-19 impact study featuring vulnerable women in marginalized communities in Katsina, Kaduna and Kano State Nigeria. This study was under the Ilizwi-Initiative as part of the Graça Machel Trust’s response to COVID-19. The study focused on the effects of the pandemic on the livelihood of women, their health and children’s education. The initial account featured stories from Kano State. This second edition features women from Kaduna and Katsina State.
39-year-old Ruth Zok is a mother of five living with a disability. She lost one if her children early this year. Before the pandemic, she worked in the Kampala cloth material making business. Due to COVID-19 lockdowns in Nigeria, Ruth was unable to sustain her business and used up all her capital and savings in feeding and buying medicine for her four children. Her children’s education was also affected but she recognises the government efforts to provide virtual classes through radio stations. Currently she fries dankali (sweet potatos) and akara (bean cake) to make ends meet.
Caption: Kaduna Field Assistant 1&2 with a beneficiary and her children.
Like Ruth, Hauwau Muhammad has also had to grapple with numerous losses in 2020. The 45-year-old mother of 9 from SabonGari area spoke about losing her husband and her bean cake baking business. “Coronavirus is really a disaster to remember. I lost my husband and used up the money from my business to buy food and look after my children“. The lockdowns also meant that her customers who used to come from neighbouring communities could no longer buy her beans’ cake. Her children’s education was also disrupted because schools shut down. “They do revisions at home which won’t help without progressing studies in school,” said Hauwau.
Amina Jumare is also a widow. The 53-year-old has 8 children and sells beans cake for a living. The profit she gets is spent on her children’s upkeep and education. Commenting on the effect of COVID-19 on her children’s education and health, Amina shared that their education had been affected by the school shutdowns and they were way behind. In terms of health, bouts of malaria and typhoid have seen her spend a lot of money in hospital paying bills and buying medicine. “I have had to reduce the volume of beans because even if I make the beans cake, people hardly buy all of it. Now I don’t even have money to continue my business.”
Amina Abdulqadir is 33 years and a mother of 7 who trades in groundnut cake, groundnut cake and popcorn at Batsari Local Government Area in Katsina state. “Before COVID-19, my business was running very smoothly and was able to cater for education and food. But now, everything has stopped. I don’t even have any capital. The situation is dire. We are struggling to survive and have to seek help to get medicine when any of the children get sick”.
Farida Abubakar Saulawa, NFNV-NIGERIA assigned Field Assistant with an interviewee.
Another mother of 7, Amina Sale, also comes from Katsina Local Government Area. She is a 41-year-old macro-entrepreneur producing and selling local yoghurt and milk candy treats. With this being her main source of income, she has been able to feed, clothe and educate her kids. However, COVID-19 has been a tough experience for her. “During the lockdown imposed because of coronavirus, we suffered a lot especially during the month of Ramadan. The business wasn’t selling and the capital was lost to purchase of food. It was so sad that I couldn’t buy even buy an Eid outfits for my children”.
“The fact that COVID-19 has resulted in the locking down of schools is saddening, I couldn’t afford the virtual lessons for my children. The little I earn from my local groundnut oil business goes directly to feeding my kids”. This is Hindatu Abdulrahman’s story. A 40-year-old mother of 7 from Katsina Local Government Area of Katsina State. “Even some big companies have witnessed a drop in sales so what of small businesses. However, since the restriction on movement is lifted and business has resumed, if I could get access to capital to invest, I will be able to retain my customers and expand my business”.
Editor’s Note: Through NFNV and its partners, some of the interviewers were beneficiaries of an N10,000 incentive to help with post-COVID business support which they were extremely grateful for and would boost their recovery efforts. Watch here to learn more.
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