WITH a vested and genuine interest in the well-being and preservation of good health and life, Faye Hendricks is attached to the Mashabo Health Outpost as the Community Health Worker (CWC) to serve her community.

She has been at the post for the past 11 years and from the looks of things, she really likes her job, owing to a clean and tidy facility and smiling staff assisting her.

Hendricks told the Pepperpot Magazine that she is originally from St. Monica, Pomeroon River but grew up in Mashabo when her mom relocated to her father’s home village as a child.

The Mashabo Health Outpost has four pathway workers, a cleaner and two nursing assistants. In June this year, the pathway employees were introduced to the facility to boost their level of service.

Hendricks stated that the pathway workers play a critical role in the smooth running of the health facility and she sees them as ‘helping hands’ that actually assist in all aspects of healthcare.

She reported a need for an in-house doctor to be based at Mashabo because every third Wednesday a doctor would visit which is not enough.

The Mashabo Health Outpost is opened from 08:00 hours to 16:30 hours from Mondays to Fridays, but Hendricks is available at any given time if her services are required in the community. She has an open-door policy where all are welcomed.

At present, Hendricks reported that they have adequate drugs since they receive same on a monthly basis and if there is a shortage, they would make arrangements for the stock of medications to be filled.

She disclosed that there is no electricity at the Mashabo Health Outpost and it is needed since the battery for the solar is not functioning. The entire building was re-wired for power.

Hendricks noted that cases they cannot handle are referred to the nearest hospital at Suddie but they offer primary healthcare. Their largest clinic is the infant and preschool.

She added that a waiting area with a shed and adequate seating accommodation is needed at the facility and they also have their own landing for patient’s convenience in the case of emergencies and boats are used to get to the location quickly.

At any given day, about 13 patients pass through the health outpost for varying medical services and they see a lot of seasonal illnesses such as flu, fever, red eyes, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Recalling her journey into the noble nursing profession, Hendricks told the Pepperpot Magazine that at school, they had a career day and she was asked what she wanted to become.

Her goal was to become a teacher but time and things changed and she shifted her focus in aiming to qualify herself as a nurse due to a personal experience which motivated her.

“I was sick and in the hospital. Lying there and I did not receive the medical attention I should and I was thinking how I felt and that inspired me to become a nurse so I can help people, who are sick and need the aid of medical professionals,” she related.

Hendricks added that it feels good to be serving her community and she is very pleased that she can make people better through the intervention of medicine.

DECASEY WILLIAMS, THE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR
Meanwhile, Decasey Williams, a resident of Mashabo is passionate about a lot of things including making his dream of becoming a small business owner of his own boutique in the village.

The 28-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is a Community Service Officer (CSO) and he was introduced to the community initiative one year and eight months ago, a job he is getting to like, as a result of being a volunteer.

He gained motivation as a result of the innovative government-led Hinterland, Employment and Youth Service, more popularly known by its acronym, HEYS programme in his village and upon completion, he wanted to become his own boss, to be self-employed.
Williams began buying and selling clothes he would purchase in the city and return to his village to walk and sell same.

He started his own small business in 2017 and started his boat service in his community due to the need for such service.

Williams would transport 20 students via his boat from the village to the lake top from 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours on weekdays.

KEVIN WILLIAMS, THE CARPENTER
Kevin Williams is also a resident of Mashabo Village and he is a talented carpenter, who can make from scratch, almost any piece of furniture.

The 32-year-old is the spouse of the Village Toshao, Areafa Shabeer and when the team visited he was in the process of constructing a stage for the heritage day celebration in the community.

Williams was tasked with getting the men together to cut the wood from the forested area in the village and get them to the Mission where Benabs, a large stage and booths were being built.

He resides in Waddaduri, on top of a hill and it is an isolated part of the community, but he likes it that way because there is enough space, fresh air and his closest neighbours are all related, mostly families live in the village.

“To be at peace, is to strive and this is home for me and my family, so here is where I will remain and make the most of what this place has to offer,” Williams said.

He would earn by cutting wood and sell and he is also the carpenter/contractor in the village, who takes on jobs for locals such as building houses etc.

HENRY HENDRICKS, THE SECURITY GUARD
The team also met 58-year-old Henry Hendricks, the security attached to the Mashabo Primary School, who is originally from Rupununi but relocated to Mashabo in the 1980s.

“I had to leave my home village because I wanted a steady job and I moved to Mashabo and was able to do many things,” he said.

Hendricks stated that in Mashabo they can fish, hunt, cut wood and farm and it is a quiet and simple way of life.

When he first moved to Mashabo he told the Pepperpot Magazine that it only had 12 families and today the village has more than 130 families.

Hendricks is of the view that education is the key to success and when the children are successful the community benefits and more should be done to promote education and avenues for job creation in the village.