Women money changers help Djibouti economy

These women in Djibouti do an important job. They help local businesses, visitors and tourists. The women are money changers.

Their bags contain different kinds of currency. They change international currencies like dollars and euros. They also change local Djiboutian francs and Ethiopian birr.

Noura Hassan started changing money when her husband died 10 years ago. She explains how she always knows the correct price.

Noura: "We are aware of the exchange rates because our bank gives us this sheet. It's free, it's through this sheet that we know the exchange rates."

Over half the women in Djibouti, in north east Africa, have no education. But money changers need few skills. Medina thinks it’s a good opportunity.

Medina: "It’s a decent job, it's better than being jobless. You work to earn a living for your children. When you sit here you have a cash flow, you don't need to beg from anyone working on your own."

This is a poor neighbourhood, but the money changers are needed. It’s an area visited by business people and visitors from Ethiopia. They all have money to change but there are no banks nearby. Money changers offer a useful service.

The women work together so they can help each other. As money changers, they are also safer in groups. Zahra says this scares away thieves.

Zahra: "Whoever steals money does not come to us. They're scared. We're a lot, aren't we? He's not coming. If I'm alone he'll come." View Less