Boé, a settlement located along the Coruba River in the southeastern Gabú Region of Guinea-Bissau, hails the construction of its first market in the city of Boé, presenting new opportunities and major improvement in the quality of life of its residents. Having briefly served as the de facto capital until Guinea-Bissau’s independence was finally recognized in 1974, Boé has since stayed in relative obscurity with very little in the way of infrastructural development.

That all changed when a group of youths, who call themselves the Association of Young Defenders of the Boé Environment (AJDA BOÉ), with the support of UNDP through the NaNôMon platform, decided to alter the narrative of their region by taking a driver's seat at the station of their own region's development.

Over the years, the city of Gabú in Guinea-Conakry, some 83 km away, has been the hub of commercial activity, where inhabitants of Boé acquire most of their essential commodities. This stretch, which is in a very poor state, especially during the rainy season, presents a major threat for vehicles and passengers, impacting the living and working conditions of the inhabitants of Boé. With the construction of a market, there will be a marked reduction in travel time for acquiring goods. Food preservation, which was also an issue in the past, augmented their difficulties, is being resolved with the installation of solar panels and some deep freezers for storing fish and other perishable goods.

The market will use local products to expand initiatives that can boost development by creating new opportunities for the community in the once vibrant and pivotal region. With a newly constructed market and subsided nursery platforms for youth and women, the community of Boé has seen a revitalized commercial dynamic, with a direct impact on local productivity.