By Leson Jones
ANGELINE Christie is a living example of the famous age-old adage, “One, one dutty, build dam.”

Every day, Monday to Sunday, clothed in her traditional Rastafarian outfit, replete with her head wrap and her handmade leather slippers, she journeys her way through the routes of Albouystown, Charlestown and Brickdam selling snacks and fruits.
Her variety ranges from plantain chips, mangoes, pineapple, chicken foot and coconut biscuit, among other eatables.

These delicacies are savoured by her loyal customers at the Central Housing and Planning Authority, the Prison Service, the Ministry of Education and local radio station, Hot 100.1 FM.

Christie was raised in humble beginnings in a small town called Vreed-en-Hoop on the West Bank of Demerara. The one-flat, three-bedroom house, was also the home to 17 other relatives, and as she would tell anyone who cares to listen, her grandmother didn’t have an easy life; she struggled to build that house.
And while to some, being an itinerant vendor is an insignificant job, the little profits she earns she uses to give her children the best education and healthcare she can afford, so that they can grow and develop well.

She first started out as a school girl plying her trade, selling slides and bubblies to her little school friends, constructively utilising her profits to pay for extra lessons. Pretty soon, she would come to realise she had what it takes to be a saleswoman.

From the age of 15, sill in her school uniform, she started doing what she loves most: selling Bubblies Slides pens and pencils to her school mates.

“My grandmother use to take me along with her selling newspapers for 25 cents to residents in Vreed en Hoop very early in the mornings and I learn a lot during that process. In fact, it was like work study for me,” Angeline said.
A proud and hardworking mother, she raised all six of her children with little resources available to her. To this day, she smiles and compliments her children for listening to her wise advice.

“I always preached to my children to take in their education because that is the key to survival. I always want to see them move from one level to the other as they grow,” she stated.

When asked about some of the challenges she had encountered after 20 years being a vendor, she detailed:
“Having to waking up early in the morning to purchase fruits, plantain and ingredients to make chicken foot, can be very dangerous because I’m afraid of being robbed when traveling long before sun rise to the market.”
However, due to her determination, love for her job, passion to go the extra mile and to meet her customers’ needs, she soldiers on.

With a laugh, she made no hesitation to outline what she loves the most about her job which is the excitement of providing a product which her customers enjoy and always contact her to bring daily.

Her hobbies include listening to cultural musicians such as Chronixx, Dennis Brown and Queen Ifrica.

Her major ambition in the near future is to one day acquire her own home and live to see all her grandchildren grow up.

Now enjoying some level of success, Christie is urging all prospective self-employed persons to keep trying, love what they do, always go fourth in faith and be consistent in providing a quality service or product.