Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Amid stalls that had spread in the downtown Balad district during Ramadan for small business enterprises such as balila (boiled ckickpeas) and chopped liver traditionally run by men, this year Saudi women have taken new steps in an area dominated by men.

These stalls have become a prominent Ramadan feature, providing seasonal employment to entrepreneurs who want to take advantage of the night-long crowded streets full of people who will be fasting the next day.

As Saudis flock Jeddah Souk (Balad) in Ramadan, many Saudi women have also been found to be selling balila and liver, Fathia Nasir and her two other female partners believe that stalls are a great idea which allow women the benefits of self-employment and to get accustomed to meeting the public.

“I and my friends thought about doing something useful in Ramadan and we came up with the Balila stall in Balad,” Fathia said.

According to Fathia, a number of women requested the Jeddah Municipality and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jeddah to find permanent premises for their business.

She added: “It is nice to see many women are coming downtown to sell either balila or liver in a place which has been dominated by men.”

Men try to attract customers by praising their balila using certain traditional sayings popular among Jeddah residents. On the other hand, women just stand quietly but are getting their share of the business.

Umm Ahmed stands anxiously with her son for customers and appreciates the opportunity to make the extra money. “I think people are more comfortable buying food that is prepared by women as they are more particular about cleanliness.” Her stall, which is located in the middle of the big line of stalls, sells fried potatoes and balila.

The area has thousands of visitors every night since the beginning of Ramadan, and Umm Ahmed and other women say they are busy all through the night.