FOR Brenda Phillips, life could not be simpler. Lving in a beautiful place, where her house overlooks the biggest lake on the Essequibo Coast is something out of a magazine for some people, but in real life, she is coping with a very humble way of life, earning as a farmer and an arts and craft producer.

The 54-year-old is originally from Wakapoa, but relocated to Mashabo Village 25 years ago after visiting an uncle who is residing there and after a few visits, she decided to stay after she fell in love with the place.
Phillips grows her own fruits and vegetables and is a poultry farmer who also makes craft during her spare time to earn.

The Mashabo resident told the Pepperpot Magazine that when she was living in Wakapoa she had enrolled in a craft class and from then, she took a liking to it and started making many pieces to sell.
As a way of life, Phillips is accustomed to working the land and growing up, she used to assist her family to farm.

She made some Amerindian dishes for the heritage celebrations in the village and cassareep, along with her many craft products to sell at her booth.
“Living here is better for me because I have access to the farmlands and I don’t have to walk eight to 10 miles to get to the farm, and I have a lot of space to plant and this place grows on you. It’s home,” she said.
Elaine Daniels, the craft maker and poultry farmer

Elaine Daniels is 75 years old and a very hard-working elder, who grows her own food, rears chickens and makes crafts to bring in an income to the home.

She had already made some crafts in the form of head-dresses, chains, bands, earrings and outfits for the upcoming heritage celebrations in the village.

Her craft pieces are made from tibisri and it is sourced from the swamp area in the lake.

Daniels told the Pepperpot Magazine that she makes local dishes and wines to sell. She makes them all year round based on orders, and sells right in the community.

She also rears 25 meat birds and 25 black giant chickens and sells right in the village.

“I began making craft in my 20s because I had taken a class in the village in Pomeroon during a visit with my husband, and I did some of it whenever I had the time. I became skilled and gained the confidence to start selling my products,” she said.

Daniels has lived all her life in Mashabo Village and most of her relatives reside there as well and she is hoping for more markets for her craft products.

Rosanne Elliot, the Village Shop employee
Also in Mashabo Village is the home of Rosanne Elliot, who manages the Village Shop. She is the lone employee of the small shop which sells groceries at a reduced price, making it very affordable for locals to make purchases.

Elliot related that she is the mother of three and feels empowered that she is employed and attached to the Village Council, that body is responsible for the Village Shop.

The 38-year-old stated that she started working on September 9 this year and it is good to be earning because she was not working.

Elliot added that her husband works in the hinterland as a miner and is often absent from the home, and she is the sole breadwinner.

The Village Shop opens every day except Saturdays from 08:00hrs to 16:30hrs and it is a well-stocked shop with the basic groceries and other things needed to make a meal.

Sharon Phillips, the CIIP worker
Sharon Phillips is pleased to be employed as a CIIP worker attached to the Mashabo Village Council.

The mother of five told the Pepperpot Magazine that her mother is from Wakapoa, but she relocated to Mashabo as a child and she was left behind with her grandparents.

However, as she grew, she began working and she would visit Mashabo and one day she decided to stay and make it her home.

“Since moving to Mashabo my life has improved significantly and for the past nine months now, I am employed and that feels so good, to be working and as a single parent, I was desperate for work,” she said.

Being the only breadwinner in the home, Phillips stated that they would get paid every week into the new month and she would work four days per week for four hours a day from Mondays to Thursdays.

Phillips was also giving back to the community by assisting in the preparation for their heritage day which was celebrated in Mashabo on Wednesday.