By Michel Outridge

THIS week the Pepperpot Magazine visited the secluded community of Bendroff, East Bank Essequibo, which is located many miles from Parika and is the second-to-last village on that side of the Essequibo River.

It is a riverine village which is between Naamless and Morashee and is accessible via paddle boat, bicycle, tractor or motorcycle, since there is no all-weather road, just a muddy dam.

This community doesn’t have a village leader but the residents, most of whom came from far-flung regions in Guyana, have settled in this village, which overlooks the Essequibo River.

There is no potable water supply, no electricity, no land services nor internet, except on cellphones, which is unreliable in this area and they have to strategically position themselves to get a strong signal.

Residents live far apart but they are simple people, who are eking out an honest living in this remote village doing many things to bring in incomes.

For lights and other household appliances, residents utilised generators for those who have and others have a small solar system to power light bulbs at nights.

They depend on rainfall as their main source of drinking water and the river is often used for washing and bathing purposes.

Many residents have small boats that they use with a paddle to get from one point to another in this village.

It is an agriculture-based village which produces plantains, bananas, other fruits and vegetables and the people are basically farmers and labourers on farms. They are also employed, boat builders, security guards and other professionals such as nurses and teachers.

The Pepperpot Magazine team trekked through the backlands and reached out to residents, who were more than willing to have a sit-down.

The people of Bendroff are very welcoming, kind, giving and hardworking, who have survived many hardships and challenges.

At the edge of the village is a huge wooden house which is occupied by the Harrys.

Harold Harry, head of the household, is originally from the North West District and he and his family relocated there many years ago when his children were young.

His son Leroy Harry was at home keeping an eye on his younger siblings and spoke about his life in Bendroff.

The seaman told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is often away on his fishing expeditions with the company for which he works and he returns home every two weeks.

He was on a break at home that day and was relaxing with his brothers.

The 20-year-old stated that his family consists of seven members including his parents and they have a cultivation of plantains, bananas, pumpkins, cassava and other crops on the land nearby.

Harry added that he has been a seaman on a trawler for the past two years and he likes his job.

He, like many others, had to leave their village to seek employment because there isn’t much to do except for farming.

“To come out and get in here is very costly because of the state of the road; the cars don’t want to come in and they would drop you off at a certain point and after that you have to walk for miles,” he said.

Harry stated that his parents were forced to leave Region One in an effort to give them a better life.

His father is a farmer and he would build boats in his spare time, as he has been doing recently. There is also an unfinished boat under his house which needs some finishing touches.

“Life is simple here but hard; you have to work tirelessly and do labourer work to maintain your family and if we get the basic infrastructure it will be better for us,” he said.

Harry added that the people of Bendroff make much with what they have, but a help in terms of better facilities would be welcomed at any time and more visitors are also welcomed to the peaceful community.

He noted that life is not easy, but they can’t give up.