WITH the high unemployment rate in the mining town of Linden, more and more residents are seeking varying avenues of earning so as to provide for their families.
Whether it be to invest in a business, seek employment out of Linden or to simply turn to the gift within one’s hands to create various products whether it is craft material, value-added culinary products or agro-processing.
Monica Higgins, proprietor of Monica’s Fabric Designs, one of the most recognised craft businesses in Linden, has decided to make good use of the gift of designing she realised was locked away in the palm of her hands.
Many decades ago, Monica was sitting in her home and decided to experiment with some waste material that she had previously discarded. That decision has landed her many years of success in the local craft industry. “My mom was abroad, and she used to send home these little things,” Monica recalled.

“And you know, kids would just play with them but I would just sweep them under the table. And one day I say, ‘Let me check these things;’ and I realised it was fabric paint. And that is where it started; nobody taught me to do this.”
Realising that she could have made beautiful craft items and clothing and fabric designs from basically nothing, Monica decided to venture into her yard and sought unwanted material for her new hobby.

NEW BEST FRIEND
The coconut became her new best friend after realising its wealth of uses, and, to this day, continues to be a main source of raw material for her craftwork, which has also gained recognition internationally.
“I make like little earrings of coconut shell, coreo seeds and pieces of wood,” she said. “It’s like from trash to treasure; it’s like from ordinary into extraordinary, because we do throw away these coconut shells and these things. And you know, when you see them in the yard, you look at them and right away you get ideas on what you can do with these things.”
After perfecting her skills and creating a market within her hometown, the mother-of-four and grandmother of 11 decided some 20 years ago to establish her own craft business, which is presently located at the Linden Enterprise Network compound on Republic Avenue, Mackenzie.
Monica produces tie-dye material, fabric designs, jewellery, ornaments, clothing, chair backs, curtains, hats and various other handcrafted items. Many of these items are made from simple raw material and transformed into clothing and accessories which, when worn, would have many heads turning.
The hardest part of her work is inputting the manual labour which, despite being time-consuming, is never laborious since she loves what she does.

GROWING POPULARITY
Her popularity has granted her the opportunity to impart her knowledge and skills to the other persons in Linden.
“I have been enjoying my work all the time, and I teach craft classes too,” Monica said.
“I also participate in competitions, and am the main designer of hats for the popular Francine Hat Show.
“I travel with this business; I go to Atlanta, to various islands, and I am also with the Guyana Arts and Craft in Georgetown.
“I am just happy to do this; I do it for the love of it, because I am very voluntary,” she told the Guyana Chronicle.
And despite business can sometimes be slow in Linden, she’s not complaining.
“Sometimes I get a lot of orders. People come and order their chair backs; their curtains. I also do a lot of designing of hats around Easter-time, so I really can’t complain,” she said.