Rise of street vendors in Chad and silent struggles of children

The bustling markets of Chad are increasingly dominated by women who carry the weight of their trade on their backs. Laden with trays of fresh mangoes, baskets of golden fried dough, or vibrantly patterned fabrics, they weave through crowded alleys, their voices cutting through the din of city life. From the sunrise hours in N’Djamena to the late-afternoon bustle in Moundou, these vendors are reshaping the urban landscape—one step at a time.

Take Aïcha, for instance. Her day begins before dawn. With a toddler strapped to her back and a basket of roasted peanuts balanced on her head, she navigates the city’s rhythm, her sharp eyes scanning for customers. “It’s exhausting,” she admits, “but I’m the one in charge now.” Nearby, Fanta’s fingers move swiftly over a makeshift grill, flipping dough into sizzling galettes. Her five-year-old son squats in the dust, playing with a scrap of plastic, his bare feet caked with grime. These women, who once confined their labor to household compounds, now command the streets. They barter, hustle, and endure—each sale a small victory in their fight for independence.

Yet beneath the surface of this economic uprising lies a troubling reality. The children who accompany their mothers are caught in the crossfire. Some cough in the acrid smoke of charcoal grills, others drag oversized containers of water, their small frames straining under the load. In Abéché, a bystander recalled seeing a seven-year-old boy, his face streaked with sweat, shouting “one franc!” while his mother negotiated over millet. Schoolbooks gather dust as these children trade classrooms for market stalls. Is this the hidden cost of women’s liberation—a generation of childhoods surrendered for their mothers’ survival?

The streets of Chad’s cities pulse with this paradox: women carving paths to autonomy while their children stumble behind, their futures hanging in the balance. What lies ahead for these young souls in the relentless dance of commerce?