This image depicts an informal food preparation and vending stall in Cotonou, Benin

This image depicts an informal food preparation and vending stall in Cotonou, Benin. Two adult women are actively engaged in tasks within the semi-open structure, which features a corrugated metal roof and wall supported by rustic wooden poles. In the foreground, a woman wearing a teal headscarf with light embellishments and a matching top over a patterned fabric wrap is bent over, focusing on items within a pink plastic basket containing green and white patterned plates or bowls. Her hands are positioned as if handling the contents. In the background, a second woman, wearing a green patterned headscarf tied at the back and an off-the-shoulder green patterned top, stands behind a counter. She holds a dark object in her right hand above a silver metal colander or bowl. Adjacent to her on the counter is a large, silver cooking pot with a partially open lid, resting on a white tarp draped over a patterned fabric. The pot contains a dark liquid or sauce, along with several lighter, spherical items and darker, elongated items. To the right of the background woman, stacks of plastic bottles containing yellow-orange and pink liquids are visible, alongside a blue and grey portable cooler. Bright light enters the scene from the right, illuminating the area.