Woman thrives in cattle trading dominated by men
Healthy breed: Nina looking at her cow kept for sale ahead of the Hari Raya Aidiladha holiday at a temporary cattle market in Jakarta. — AP
As Hari Raya Aidiladha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, approaches, cattle markets across the country, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, are experiencing peak trading activity.
Just outside the capital, Jakarta, the Jonggol Cattle Market is bustling with hundreds of cattle traders serving buyers looking for sacrificial animals.
This year, Aidiladha falls today in Indonesia.
Nina Herlina, 54, is a rarity among male cattle traders in a market known for its dirt, dust and animal waste.
Two years after graduating from law school at Muhammadiyah University in 1994, she married a college classmate who was starting a cattle trading business.
Her husband told her she didn't need to earn a living, but after he passed away from Covid-19 in 2021, the mother of four faced the challenge of surviving the business.
In just a few years, Nina has built a successful cattle business, leading a team of 25 men.
'Like it or not, I have to continue running this (business),' Nina said from her stall in South Jakarta, surrounded by cows, sheep and goats.
'Thank God, it provides jobs for my children and for those who really want to help us,' she said. — AP
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