Cange Market Early Morning [photo: Hunter Swenson]
While it seems like an easy answer for keeping the people safe, too much lies in the life of the market to simply pick it up and move it. Because of the pivotal role that the market plays in this community, there has been a constant discussion of what will happen after the move. Over the last few weeks, Hunter Swenson and I have spent time attempting to document different aspects of this transition by interviewing market workers with the help of Alan Yarborough, an employee of the Young Adult Service Corps.
Through the progression of the interviews I began to understand the deeper importance of the market to the community of Cange. Most told us about their families of 5, 6 or 7 children. Then explained how they work in the market to be able to send all of their kids to school. The dangers of working on the side of a highway everyday is terrifying but their concern is focused on their ability to get their children an education, over their own personal safety.
As we carried out these interviews to watch the development of the market, it became clear that our job here is not just to watch the expansion of the market as it moves from one location to another. What we are documenting is the evolution of these families as they increase their income and strengthen the education and growth of the next generation of this community.