FOR Christine Forde, life is but simple as a resident of Leguan Island, Essequibo River, as the village black pudding lady, who would go around the island on her bicycle, mainly selling on weekends.

The 54-year-old has lived all her life on the island and is very comfortable and decided to contribute to the home five years ago by starting a small business out of her home.

She began making black and white pudding on weekends and would go around the village selling on her bicycle.

Forde would source her ingredients from Parika, East Bank Essequibo, and would make the commute by speedboat, at least once weekly.

She also takes orders, and her small business usually takes her all over the island.

The mother of one told the Pepperpot Magazine that she used to plant her own vegetables, but due to the heavy rainfall on the island, she had to put that on hold since the backyard was a bit flooded.

“I was looking for a job to assist in the home to pay the bills and meet other life expenses and it wasn’t available, so I decided to become the black pudding lady, and so far, it is not a big money earner, but it is still something,” she said.

To supplement the small business, Forde is rearing some chickens and has a flock of sheep.

Due to the high cost of living, Forde explained that the prices for a lot of the essentials for making black and white pudding had increased, so she had to adjust her price to make a little profit.

Forde is now selling two slices of pudding for $100 with mango sour and would make a batch worth $6,000 weekly.

The Leguan Island resident would also make white pudding, since some people do not use black pudding.

“Most people would come to my house to make orders when they need to, because the people here know each other well,” she said.

Forde added that her household hardly ever goes out much, only when it is necessary, due to COVID-19, and they have things to do at home to pass the time.

She disclosed that there is another black pudding lady on the island, but she had to quit the small business as a result of old age and ill-health.

The small business was, however, passed onto her daughter, who resides in another section of the island.

Aunty Sylvie, the cash-crop farmer
Also on the island is Sylvie Basdeo. Even at age 69 years old and battling arthritic pains in her feet, she still does farming for her livelihood,her sole source of income.

Aunty Sylvie, as she is fondly called, has a lovely home and has her farmland in a section next to her yard where she plants calaloo, ochroes, squash, boulangers, bora and tomatoes.

She has an abundance of fruit trees in her yard, and when the mangoes, the sapodilla and other fruits are ripe, she would take them to her stall at Parika to sell wholesale to buyers.

“I have more than 40 mango trees in this yard, but picking it[sic] is the problem. I would have to employ people to pick the mangoes and I would have to sell it[sic] to wholesale buyers because it is too much,” she said.

She stated that when the weather is dry, and they have a good harvest, she would employ helpers to assist her husband.

Aunty Sylvie has a stall at Parika, and she would go there weekly to sell her produce, both retail and wholesale.

She has been living on the island all her life and enjoys the quiet and peaceful life there where it is very safe in her section of the village, Amsterdam.

Aunty Sylvie has some parrots and an orange-coloured cat as pets in her large yard, which she keeps tidy.

The mother of four told the Pepperpot Magazine that she used to go and sell her produce twice weekly, but as she progressed in age, it has become a challenge.

She is experiencing severe pains in the legs due to arthritis, and she has had to employ a helper to assist with the household chores once weekly.

Aunty Sylvie does her own cooking, and that day, she was preparing fried tomatoes with salted fish and rice.

She is one of the nicest people you will encounter, and she is very friendly and did not hesitate to open her home to the team.