Every Day Counts: Women Vendors in Suva Market Embrace SEDE

June 8, 2026
Two people sit at a wooden table outdoors, filling out blue cards while others watch.

Suva, Fiji — At sunrise, Suva Municipal Market bursts into life. Stalls open, baskets of taro and bundles of greens are laid out, and the familiar hum of bargaining fills the air. For women like Imeri Marama and Mere Rauluni, this daily routine is more than commerce. It is the heartbeat of their families’ livelihoods.

Yet, despite their hard work, their earnings have long remained invisible. Cash-based trade leaves no record. Without records, there is no proof of income, no access to credit, and no cushion for difficult weeks.

A New Daily Companion

The SEDE App is changing that story. The App is designed to turn each day’s trade into structured, verifiable financial records, helping make  previously invisible earnings visible.

For Imeri, this has transformed her outlook: “I look forward to opening the app each morning. It tells me where I start, and by evening, I can see exactly what I’ve earned. It feels like my hard work is finally counted.”

Mere shares the same excitement: “I look forward to closing the day with SEDE. It  will definitely help me check on my finances, especially the money coming in and money going out. I hope to save, and I will definitely feel proud seeing my progress.”

How a Day Works
  • Open Day: Vendors confirm their float, ensuring profits are measured against actual cash on hand.
  • Trade: Each sale is logged with a tap, expenses can be recorded with receipt photos, and profits are updated in real time.
  • Close Day: Vendors can view their net profit, decide what to save, and receive guidance on managing the next day’s float.

This daily cycle builds cash float discipline, strengthens profit tracking, and encourages savings growth.

Crowd of men and women in colorful attire posing for a group photo indoors at a conference.

Market vendors from the Suva Municipal Market in Fiji.

UNDP
Human Impact in Action

For women vendors, SEDE is intended to be more than a digital tool. It is designed to become a daily companion that supports financial confidence, independence and growth.

Through the Markets for Change Project, UNDP and partners are piloting SEDE with 50 women vendors in Suva. The initiative demonstrates how digital innovation can empower women, strengthen livelihoods, and create pathways to financial inclusion.

A Future Where Every Trade Counts

As the market closes each evening, Imeri and Mere now leave not only with cash in hand, but with records, savings, and hope. Each day with SEDE is a step toward growth, resilience, and opportunity. SEDE is more than an app. It is a daily companion for women vendors, making every trade visible, every effort count, and every tomorrow brighter.

For more information, please contact: 

Vilisi Veibataki, Markets for Change Project Manager | UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji | (E) vilisi.veibataki@undp.org | (Phone) +679 3227701