Kayayei or Kaya Yei is a Ghanaian term for a female porter or bearer. Many of these women have migrated from a rural community to any of Ghana's urban cities in search of work. They generally carry their burdens on their heads. Etymology
The term kayayei (singular, kaya yoo) is a compound formed from two languages spoken in Ghana. Kaya means "load, luggage, goods  or burden" in the Hausa language, and yei means "women or females" in the Ga language,. People in Kumasi refer to the porters as paa o paa. Roleh
Kaya have always been manual labourers. They transport goods to and from markets, particularly agricultural goods. Typically, Kaya carry their loads in a large pan placed on their heads, using a moistened coil of cloth as a buffer, see Head-carrying. Conditions
Kaya Yei still toil away in markets in Ghana today, often in poor conditions and with minimal income.
Kayaye or Kaya Ye is a Ghanaian term for a male porter or bearer. Many of these men have migrated from a rural community to any of Ghana's urban cities in search of work. They generally carry their burdens on their heads. The term kayaye (singular, kaya yo) is a compound formed from two languages spoken in Ghana. Kaya means “load, luggage, goods or burden” in the Hausa language, and ye means “men or males” in the Ga language. People in Kumasi refer to the porters as paa o paa. Kaya have always been manual labourers. They transport goods to and from markets, particularly agricultural goods. Typically, Kaya carry their loads in a large pan placed on their heads, using a moistened coil of cloth as a buffer, see Head-carrying. Kaya Ye still toil away in markets in Ghana today, often in poor conditions and with minimal income.