In the heart of Bamako, Mali’s capital city, lies a vibrant market known as Médine. This bustling marketplace is where Adama Konaté sells imported bicycles from France, the US, England, Canada, and China. But what sets him apart is his willingness to repair and assemble new bicycle parts.
Konaté’s store also offers a wide range of other goods, including vehicle accessories and agricultural equipment that are hard to find elsewhere. His neighbor, Drissa Traoré, is an artisan who sells custom-made items like fourneaux, coffrets for weddings, and broyeurs d’arachide.
Traoré has been selling his wares in Médine for over a year and is grateful to have found success. ‘I’m thankful to God; my current situation is better than before,’ he says.
Meanwhile, Fousseyni Sangaré sells agricultural equipment that farmers purchase just before the rainy season. He notes that this year’s delivery has been challenging due to security concerns in some areas of Mali.
For his part, Adama Konaté has been selling bicycles for 27 years and offers a variety of models with different features at varying prices.