VEERU KADHAR is a talented individual whose skill is in demand as an electrician; his phone would ring at any given time. Customers would want him to fix their broken appliances as soon as possible.

The 45-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is a city boy, but, due to family issues, he relocated to Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, which is now his home.

Kadhar stated that the village is quiet and is a place where you can buy things since they have a lot of shops, supermarkets, markets and other businesses.

As an electrician, he stopped fixing television sets but would repair other household appliances and he would be on call and visit homes to get the job done.

He is familiar with the people and would go around on his bicycle for work.

Krishna Roopan, the shopkeeper
Meanwhile, Krishna Roopan is a Cornelia Ida Housing Scheme resident and a father of one who would tend to customers.

He has one of two shops in his street and he sells groceries and cold beverages.

Roopan describes life as good and resides on the property owned by his great-grandfather, which was handed down through generations.

The 47-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that the house was given to him as the grandson and he has no real issues.

He is, however, pleased that his street was being upgraded. He said it was long overdue.

Roopan added that they have a few local who are addicted to alcohol and drugs and they would do some things at times, but, apart from that, it was a safe village.

“Like in every village we have a few bad eggs and when they drink up or smoke they misbehave but there is no cause for alarm,” he said.

Shivdat, the elder
In Cornelia Ida Pasture is the home of Shivdat (only name), an effervescent 75-year-old who was doing some yard chores when the team visited that day.

He was washing down the yard and wanted to complete the task before the sun got hotter, while his wife was in the kitchen cooking their spicy curry lunch.

The elder told the Pepperpot Magazine that the land he resides on was allocated to him as a sugar worker and it was a pasture before it was regularised, one of the first housing schemes to be established.

Shivdat stated that he has good neighbours and the place is very quiet and nice to enjoy a peaceful life.

He related that sugar workers settled there in that part of the village and as the ‘big people’ passed away, the lands and properties were passed down to family members.

The father of two noted that he had been living at the same location from eight years old and was still there even after marriage.

Shivdat was a cane cutter for 29 years at the Leonora Sugar Estate and he also did some construction work from 1989 before he officially retired.

“When you are young and have health and strength, you must prepare for old age and the future because if you wait till you mature to make provision, it will be difficult,” he said.

Prabhu Sharan Home for Children/ Orphanage
Parsram (only name given) is the Administrator of the Prabhu Sharan Orphanage in Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara and the facility is managed by a Board of Trustees and is privately owned.

However, the Ministry of Social Services would place minors until they are located to foster care and stable homes.

At present, they have 18 children and all of them are attending school.

The orphanage stays open through donations from the general public, the trustees and the owner who lives abroad.

It is a very well-kept place; everything seems to be in order as it should, and when the team visited, meals were being prepared for lunch.

Parsram began volunteering at the facility last year and he oversees the operation of the orphanage and is there every day to ensure all is well.

The Prabhu Sharan Orphanage has six volunteers who receive a stipend and they provide three meals plus snacks daily for the children housed there.

Parsram told the Pepperpot Magazine that children ages six to 15 years old are housed there until they are removed to other places and it has every convenience just like home and with a mandir.