Every Saturday morning in Abuja, the Garki Market slowly wakes up before dawn. Among the early arrivals is Mrs. Ngozi, a widowed mother of three. She balances a basket of vegetables on her head and carries her youngest child, barely two years old, strapped to her back.
For years, her life had been a constant struggle. When her husband died suddenly, she had nothing but a few savings and the determination not to let her children go hungry. With no formal job and little education, she turned to the one skill she knew best—trading vegetables.
At first, the profits were barely enough for food. There were days she sold all her tomatoes and still couldn’t afford transportation home, so she walked miles with her children. Yet, instead of giving up, Ngozi saved a little from every sale. Slowly, she expanded her stall from just tomatoes and pepper to yams, beans, and rice.
Over time, customers began to notice her honesty. She never cheated on measurements, and she always gave fresh produce. Word spread, and her stall became one of the busiest in that corner of the market. With her earnings, she sent her eldest son back to school after he had dropped out for almost a year. Today, he is in his second year at university studying accounting.
When asked how she managed, Ngozi simply says:
“I told myself crying won’t feed my children, but these hands will.”
Her story is a living testimony that resilience, hard work, and integrity can turn even the smallest opportunity into a new beginning.
