FOR Ann Douglas, home is Bruce Alley, Section ‘B’ Christianburg, Wismar, Linden, a place she has been living since she was a child.

The 53-year-old said that she relocated to Linden with her parents, and they reside on a double lot so her parents live just next door, which is convenient.

Douglas is originally from Buxton, East Coast Demerara and is the only daughter with four brothers.

The mother of two is a teacher attached to Watooka Day Primary School and has been in the teaching profession for more than 20 years, but she is burdened with a lot of paperwork these days.

“I had wanted to become a nurse, but at that time, things weren’t as I hoped and instead went into the noble profession of teaching and I loved it. I even got qualified at Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and even had a stint at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD),” she said.
Douglas told the Pepperpot Magazine that the village is nice and it is a place where she feels comfortable in her own house, a neat, cosy one-flat concrete edifice.

She stated that the neighbourhood is safe and the people look out for each other and things are not as expensive as living in the city because they grow their own food s mostly.

Shonnett Bobb, the nurse
Meanwhile, the Pepperpot Magazine also met a lovely young lady, Shonnett Bobb, a nurse attached to the Linden Hospital Complex in the Male Ward and a resident of Maxwell Alley, Christianburg.

The 30-year-old had worked the night shift and was at home doing many things before she could get some rest to return to work that evening on Monday last.

Bobb stated that she is a local of the village and had lived with her family at a house across the alley but they relocated to another house.

She is hoping that she can get her own house lot and have her own house as a mother of two. She is still residing with family members.

Bobb reported that she is an indoor person and she doesn’t really socialise but knows that the village is quite peaceful.

“I became a nurse because it is part of me to help people and I fulfilled my dream to become a qualified nurse, serving my community,” she said.

Annette Anderson, the chips vendor
Annette Anderson is a resident of Section ‘B’ Christianburg and she is a stay-at-home mom who makes chicken foot and plantain chips to sell right from her house.

The mother of five said that she was looking for work and could not find anything, so she decided to use her skills and prepare chips to sell from her verandah.

The 47-year-old added that she is originally from West Coast Demerara but has been living in the village for a long time.

She describes life as fair even though they lack some basic necessities but is hopeful one day, she will be able to have her own small shop.

That section of the village doesn’t have internet, landline phones and roads.

Emmanuel Isaiah, the shopkeeper
Although he resides at Blueberry Hill, Emmanuel Isaiah visits Mango Alley every day to assist his uncle in his small shop, which is housed in the lower flat of his house.

The 30-year-old, who is camera shy and did not want to be photographed, told the Pepperpot Magazine that his uncle was out, so he was tasked with managing the shop.

While there, he entertains himself by playing some music and he is one of the young men who began to do some self-help work in the village, such as patching the alleys.

Isaiah is a skilled worker and he is hoping to get steady work in construction.

Sharon Morris, stay-at-home mom
The 45-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that she is a resident of Lot 37 Stuart Path, Wismar and has lived all her life in the village.

The mother of three added that she is looking for work, but so far, she has been unsuccessful in getting a steady job.

“I would like to have a permanent job but not security because I am not comfortable with working at night,” she said.

Morris is, however, glad for the newly paved road they are getting and remains positive something will give soon despite many challenges.