Niger’s deepening economic crisis: daily struggles in a generation’s worst downturn

As evening descends upon the suburbs of Zinder, a city in southeastern Niger, Rabiatou, 29, begins to pack up her stall. With a bundle of secondhand clothing balanced on her head, she starts her journey home. Throughout the entire day, she managed to sell just one item, earning 1,000 F CFA. Half of this meager sum was immediately spent on transportation. Upon her arrival home, her baby, strapped to her back, gurgles with delight at the sight of their three