Self-respect: Underprivileged Saudi women work in searing heat, won’t beg

RIYADH: It’s a common sight during Ramadan to see some women with their children roaming the streets seeking cash handouts from the public, but there are many others earning a living with honest work.
“These Saudi women are indicating that they refuse charity,” said Fayez Ziadi, a photographer who saw one selling herbs and spices in the capital.
Ziadi said these women are proud and want to earn a living while they’re still strong. “By undergoing the ordeal of selling under the hot sun, these women want to show their children that they should also do honest work when they grow up,” he said.
“It goes without saying that they’re an embodiment of that sterling human quality among women who want to get ahead in life by working hard. They are the pride of fellow women and the Kingdom.”
Ziadi said it is heartbreaking to see that they work when the heat is at its most intense, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., before they head home for iftar. They can be seen selling products at parks, stadiums, supermarkets, malls, mosques and the traffic lights on major streets.