FOR the past 10 years or so, Latoya Bascon has been making a living by selling soft drinks and water at her small stand on Regent Street– as part of her efforts to foster a comfortable life for her four children.

“My sister used to do this business but she migrated, so I just decide to pick up the business and do it myself,” Bascon shared.

That was 10 years ago, when she set up shop opposite the Keishar’s building and she never left since then. And it is this business that she has used to raise her four children who are aged: 20, 17, 9 and 5 years old.

For her, as a mother, her aim is to ensure that each of her children has a comfortable life, where they have access to all avenues of development (particularly education) so that they could better themselves. And she has been trying to do this by selling the beverages, and sometimes snacks.

But over the years, her field of work has become inundated- more so with the rise of young hustlers who ‘walk and sell’ beverages. According to her, however, competition isn’t a problem.

In fact, she stated: “I have my customers that come every day and now and then you might have somebody passing by you gon buy something.”

Furthermore, she related, “I cope very well because I know how to budget and balance myself.”

When the Pepperpot spoke to Bascon, her youngest child– her five-year-old daughter– was at her knee. The two were talking about Mother’s Day, which is being observed today.

“They (her children) would make her cards and crafts,” she said fondly but shared that Mother’s Day is just another “quiet, normal day” for her. And she shared that she had no plans, as usual, to do anything fancy.

Luckily, however, she shared that she doesn’t ply her trade on Sundays, so that means that she has the day home to relax. If she’s in the mood, Bascon noted that she might cook up a storm but aside from that, it’s just another day to relax– and then prepare for work again early Monday morning.