HERMILDA Debideen is a staunch Muslim who does the most to assist others in any way possible. She is quite dedicated to cleaning the mosque but still finds the time to earn via her homemade meals.

The 49-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that three months ago, she had the desire to earn and decided to establish her own small business from her home in Wine Bush Village, Leonora, West Coast Demerara.

That day despite heavy rainfall, Debideen was in the kitchen making roti and chicken curry, burgers, pak choi with shrimp, chicken chowmein, donuts, black and sponge cakes.

She also has a stocked refrigerator with cold beverages, nothing alcoholic and the locals would support her daily by purchasing breakfast and lunch.

The mother of eight told the Pepperpot Magazine that her prices are pocket-friendly, and she keeps it under budget to cater for everyone, especially the fisherfolk.

Her day would usually start at 04:00 hours in the morning and she would ensure meals are hot and wholesome, prepared fresh daily and try to have options of three different foods.

Since doing it alone has become too much for her, Debideen employs a helper, a relative who would assist her in preparing the meals for sale from her home.

“Some days when I have a lot to do, I would still have to cook because I have orders to fulfill, people depend on me to cook and provide meals, so I have to be reliable with my service,” she said.

Debideen is a member of the Leonora Masjid and has been attending the services for more than 20 years.

She and her husband would plant the yard with vegetables for kitchen use, and vegetables they are not growing would be sourced from the markets to prepare meals.

Debideen also sells plucked chicken and eggs from her home and the locals support her small business.

“I like living here because it is mostly quiet when the people next door isn’t loud and consuming alcohol but other than that it is peaceful and safe,” she said.

Alliesa Sookram, the cosmotologist
Alliesa Sookram is an up-and-coming beautician who has her small business at her home where she specialises in mails, manicure, pedicure, make-up, facial and hair.

The 22-year-old has qualified herself in the field at a city cosmetology school and is a resident of Shantytown, Leonora, West Coast Demerara.

She started accepting customers about four months ago and would work based on calls or walk-ins. People from the village and those outside of the community would support her venture.

When it is off-peak and her business is stagnant, she would work with her aunt as a cook/helper in the kitchen.

Sookram told the Pepperpot Magazine that she has a goal of establishing her salon and she is working towards that vision and doing it even if it means doing other work.

The young lady reported that she wants to set a foundation so when she gets married and have a family, she will be financially dependent on her own small business to earn and work from home.

Satnarine Satdeo, the shop owner/bus driver
Satnarine Satdeo is also a resident of Wine Bush Village, Leonora, West Coast Demerara and he has a shop at his home and he is a minibus driver that plies the 32 route Georgetown to Parika.

The father of four told the Pepperpot Magazine that day he was at home tending to customers via the shop since his wife was at the hospital with her son, who is injured and needs medical attention.

The 49-year-old is well-known and he has been residing in the village for the past 49 years and he seems to be familiar with the locals like most small villages.

Satdeo reported that as a small boy, he used to graze cows and where his minibus was parked in his yard was a pond, where he used to fish and the place was very different in those days.

He added that he and his friends used to do ‘bush-cook’ where he occupied and it was bushy and undeveloped. However, today it is populated and hardly any space available.

Satdeo explained that 22 years ago, the village was regularised and is deemed a ‘village of families’ since most people are related by blood and kinship.