A new market building has been constructed in Raja County, Western Bahr el Ghazal, with the support of the organization ACTED and the UN peacekeeping mission.
The building is part of a market renovation with better drainage, stalls and latrines. It will help the county cope with increasing agricultural outputs.
According to a press statement by ACTED on its website, “the market in Raja town had insufficient drainage, latrines, and waste disposal. Market stalls had no shelter from the elements or raised platforms off the ground. These conditions were not only potential public health risks, but also increased the risk of post-harvest losses for traders.”
The organization said that it started the project in August 2013 and handed it over to local authorities on 13 March. The project was funded by the UN Mission in South Sudan.
The layout for the newly renovated market includes individual stalls for 24 market vendors, as well as latrines and a community centre.
Bricks for the construction were made locally by a youth cooperative established and trained by ACTED.
“Workshops were also conducted to establish a vendors association which will ensure the continued maintenance of the market after the project,” the organization stated.
Photo: The newly constructed community centre in Raja market (ACTED)