Events

Scattered throughout the streets of Khartoum and the surrounding areas are women who sell tea in the doorways of stores, behind buildings, in small corridors, and underneath trees. Distinguished in society by their makeshift mobile cafes, the Tea Ladies of Sudan are often refugees from neighbouring war-torn countries or women who are divorced or widowed. Due to a lack of access to education, they are positioned as breadwinners to support their children and families financially. As tea and coffee form the foundation of an enduring culture in Sudan, the tea ladies represent a key component of the social fabric of Sudanese society.

Given Sudan’s complex history of economic instability, government corruption, and the layered systemic barriers faced by women in society, the majority of the Tea Ladies must endure multiple hardships, as they are often left without much support to survive on their own. During this time, threats to their businesses by the government have created opportunities for informal activism, allowing a small union to be formed to protect the women. Still, the inequities of society and the hardships they endure daily create little opportunity for security and upward mobility.

“The Tea Ladies of Sudan” by the visual artist Ebti Nabag offers a visual portrayal of women that aims to capture the multiple identities of their resilience: mothers, daughters, caregivers, breadwinners, community members, activists, and survivors.