Economic Struggles, Resilience and Agency: Ageing Market Women Redefining 'Old' in Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

This article presents evidence from a qualitative study in which 67 in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion were conducted with ageing and old market women. The study focused on what 'old' means and how ageing and old market women redefi ne the meaning of 'old' to gain economic independence. The fi ndings indicate that the meaning is still greatly attached to physical changes; there are differences in how different individuals respond to the changes, as some challenge the gender stereotypes and prejudices attached to old age and show resilience. Indicators of resilience among market women included: an active economic lifestyle, asset ownership, the freedom to socialise, the ability to make decisions about what it is they value, and the ability to earn an income. Indeed, ageing women in market trade are less dependent on others. To these women, seniority in age was no longer a challenge, nor a source of distress; instead, it was a motivator for pushing forward. Based on the fi ndings, the authors recommend extending social security grants to enable even more old persons to start and maintain economically rewarding ventures.

What Has Worked or Failed with Feminist Scholarship in Academic Spaces in Africa? The Case of the School of Women & Gender Studies, Makerere University

“…The research mainly focused on women's plight rather than on men in Uganda's use, access and negotiation of critical resources. Structures like decentralised land governance, microfinance, and information communication technologies (ICT) to extend services to local communities risked increasing male hegemony in sophisticated ways (Madanda 2014;Nsibirano and Kabonesa 2014). For example, women negotiating land rights through local government structures risked mistreatment and rejection in society.…”