Sudanese Women Sell Their Wedding Rings Amid Worsening Economic Crisis
(AWP) - A young Sudanese woman, Nima al-Jeeli, sits with her hands bare of any gold jewelry because of financial hardship since the outbreak of war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which has forced women to sell their gold to meet the needs of their displaced families.
“We had to sell our rings and wedding bands as well as our clothes so we can reach a safe place,” said Nima, who lives with her three children at a shelter in Port Sudan, where the displaced family from Khartoum has been taking refuge since the war broke out in mid-April.
She added, “We spent most of our property in these circumstances and left only a few things there. We have nothing anymore.”
Nima is not an exceptional case. It has become a familiar scene to see women selling their jewelry at a gold market in Port Sudan to get money to help them overcome the hardships of life away from their hometowns. The coastal city overlooking the Red Sea has become home for hundreds of thousands of displaced people seeking refuge from the fighting in central and western Sudan.
Salah Abu Bakr, Deputy Chairman of the Port Sudan Jewelers Union, said many people have lost their money due to the war and whoever still has money left purchases gold to preserve its value, adding that gold is also lighter to carry.
Abu Bakr explains, “Some 60% of all these people are from Khartoum. They came from Khartoum with their gold. As you can see, all the gold jewelry here is used. We offer used gold to anyone who wishes to save their money. Its price is 1,000 Sudanese pounds less (roughly $1.67).”