New initiative gives Kundiawa market a facelift

VENDORS at the Kundiawa town market in Chimbu province have experienced drastic changes in the last few weeks resulting in the opening up of a new police kiosk.
It is a direct impact of a new initiative “partnership to improve market” by the Kundiawa urban authority (KUA) and United Nations Women, a group facilitated by the Catholic Women’s Association (CWA).
CWA president Francisca Moivo and UN Women’s representative John Kuri said yesterday that the police kiosk was part of the new initiative and project at the market.
Other key service providers would be brought in to ensure market vendors were catered for, especially women, Moivo said.
“We have created market by-laws, a database and a ticketing control mechanism for vendors and buyers.”
Moivo said the urban authority would be the main recipient of the new improvements at the market after the project is completed at the end of March.
Kuri said the project was funded by International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), which engaged CWA to facilitate the programme.
He said the market was the first site in the country for the programme to be rolled out to promote gender equality in the management and governance of markets.
“We are working alongside KUA which oversees the operation of the town market in close consultations with the Chimbu governor, administrator and relevant stakeholders,” Kuri said.
He said a technical steering committee had carried out awareness among market vendors, civil society and stakeholders that resulted in a good working relationship.
“The detachment of a police kiosk at the market site is the first for the country and we are proud of this achievement, police presence will always be at the market to guarantee security for buyers and sellers at the market,” Kuri said.
He added that the partnership project was guided by a memorandum of understanding signed between the UN Women, CWA, KUA and the provincial government.