the market where fatma workskss popular with locals, and more anand more men are now buying their groceries from the female vendors. it seems male customers have far fewer reservations than the male vendors. >> it's all very clean. it's a nice market and, above all, it's quiet. the female vendors treat us very respectfully. i have to say, they're much nicer than male vendors. >> fatma doubts she would have got back on her feet as soon as she did withthout the job her. spending time with other women means a lot to her. and the work is demanding enough to distract her from dwelling on the past too much. >> i love my work. it's exhausting, but i'd never give it up. and you know what, i feel free here. i can say, this is my market stand. no one is telling me what to do. no one is interfering. >> as the day draws to a close, fatma has a second wind, promising bargain prices to attract a few last customers. >> july 1, 1997, marked the end of hong kong's 150 year history as a british colony, and the beginning of china's governance of the city. since then, hong kong has retained its status as a spe