INVISIBLE CITIZENS

Kayayei, a term in the Ga language meaning female head-potters; the “visible” people in our markets yet “invisible” in our society; the people who tag unto your clothes in the busy markets inquiring whether you need their services; the girls or women carrying babies on their backs in the scorching sun and on their heads basins full of goods by shoppers they’ve managed to negotiate business with.
The strains on the faces of these girls or women indicate the load on their heads is far from light, but do they have a choice? Some are as young as age seven and others can be as old as in their thirties, forties, who knows, maybe more? And when they try to rest their tired bodies at night perverted men lay siege to their sleeping corners to sexually abuse them, impregnate and leave them with an additional mouth to feed on the scanty income they earn.

These girls are usually from the northern parts of our country which have relatively bleak economic prospects as a result of certain systematic economic decisions made under our colonial governments. Under the British colonial administration, the southern parts of the country experienced more economic activities than the south as the southern parts had abundant mineral resources such as gold, diamond, bauxite, manganese, etc and the land good for cultivating cash crops like cocoa.
As a result, mines were built to extract these minerals, railway lines and more roads constructed to transport the extracted resources to waiting ships at harbors at our shorelines en route to Europe. The improved transportation systems propelled business activities which benefited the south more than the north. Additionally, whereas schools were built in the south, the north saw less of those; and even though efforts especially after independence were made to increase educational and economic opportunities in the northern parts of our country, more needs to be done.

Aside from the economic reasons driving these kayayei to southern cities, some embark on these journeys to escape early (arranged) marriages especially to suitors they have no interest in. In their desperation to escape they go as far as hitching rides on trucks (yes cargo trucks not buses) where they sit on top of the bags of cargo being transported to southern cities in which some lose their lives in the events these trucks get involved in accidents. Most of them come south with intentions of saving money to buy items such as sewing machines so they can return to their hometowns to set up dress making businesses.

There was a recent news article where a girl was willing to – had it not being for the by standers holding her back – jump into the fire that had engulfed the shop containing a sewing machine she had saved really hard for. It’s appalling that we live in a society where some of our citizens have to save for years just so they can buy a simple sewing machine yet others in this same society can walk into shops to buy items worth ten times the cost of these machines on a day’s shopping spree.

Due to the fact that they usually leave their hometowns without any specific address in mind they are forced to sleep in the streets, at bus stations, in front of shops when they get to the city. To avoid being raped or sexually abused they sometimes come together to organize sleep schedules where one is assigned to stay up all night to watch out and alert the rest for an approaching rapist. Unfortunately, some of these kayayei never make it back to their place of origin to accomplish what they came down to our southern cities for; they end up making babies in the streets, perpetuating an already unfortunate cycle.

So, why do we suddenly get surprised when these street children grow up to become armed robbers, for example, to rob and torment us? Did we create opportunities for their mothers that would trickle down to them so they can also have a chance for a better life? In our last election their plight was politicized where one political party campaigned they would build hostels for these women. Well, building hostels is not a bad idea as they do need a decent place of accommodation for the time being. But what about proposing long term solutions by making opportunities more accessible to them up north so they wouldn’t be forced into the marginalized lives they live now?

What makes their plight even more sad are instances where people at market centers verbally abuse them, stereotypically judge them to be rude just because some draw the line to avoid being taken advantage of. There are instances where people refuse to pay them or if anything at all, pay half the price initially negotiated after these women carry the neck and back breaking goods of the patron. In such instances, while some kayayei will simply cuss and walk off, others in retaliation would throw the goods on the ground or trample them, and that is when everyone in the market suddenly realizes the kayayoo is rude; what about the client who started the drama by refusing to pay?

I do acknowledge significant efforts are already being made by certain non-profit organizations, individuals and the government to reverse the plights of these girls or women but the fact that we still have a good number of them on our streets means more work needs to be done. Increase their access to education and improve what they currently have. Whatever developmental projects we embark in southern parts of the country should reach the north as well.

In the meanwhile, the next time you come across a kayayoo, take time to acknowledge their plight. Do not look on when they are being taken advantage of – speak up and oppose mean treatment from insensitive people towards them. Help transform their “invisible” statuses into “visible” ones. Your kind gesture, no matter how small it may appear can go a long way to make a difference in their lives.