A day in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, a village like no other. Taking a trip there would be no easy one and the people there are extremely friendly. The term, “it takes a village to raise a child” takes on a whole new meaning once meeting and interacting with the folks of this olden village.
Set on the right hand of the East Bank Essequibo, and left hand of the Demerara River, is a village that produces rice, and plants like sugar cane are grown as well. Many farm animals, including the highly invested black belly sheep, exist there too.

The village’s population might be small but that togetherness that most people have there, is second to none.
The feeling there is different as well. One can wonder, is it the difference in the air, the lack of noise, or the feeling of peace and tranquillity that takes you over the second you enter these rural areas?

From the main road of Philadelphia, the village looks ordinary. Still, stepping into the hidden parts of the village, there were hundreds of hardworking people dedicated to holding on to their village’s rich history, none of which can be found in textbooks.

What makes Philadelphia Beautiful? That’s easy. It’s the people. The close-knit residents all look out for one another, specifically, the older folks, all of whom spoke vividly about the scary stories they were told when growing up — the ‘Nancy stories’ of their time, and the joys of being able to visit with one another, without all the hassle that happens today.
Reminiscing on their youth, the older men and women reflected on years gone and the many things they had learnt about growing up. Like many villages on the East Bank Essequibo, farming is a staple.

Philadelphia has its own concrete blocks maker, Tony Soman, a young man. His parents were at home on the day the team visited and they shared some details about their son and life in Philadelphia.

According to them, the village is a very peaceful place to reside. Tony’s mother said that he has done a business out of creating the concrete blocks, suitable for homes or other home improvement projects people may have. Tony’s mother has a shop just in front of their home where she sells food items such as raw eggs, potatoes, snacks, and beverages, which are bound to catch customers’ eyes as they enter her shop.

Another community resident, Abas Ally, has lived in Philadelphia for nearly his entire life and was once a dedicated worker on the Sea Defence. That was the only job he ever had. At present, Ally moves around in a wheelchair ever since one of his legs was amputated. According to his wife, the man has been a diabetic for going on two years now.

One of the newest families in Philadelphia is Bisnauth Debidin and his family, who moved from Essequibo to Philadelphia a little under a year ago. He explained that the reason he moved there was to seek more job opportunities in that community. Debidin is a professional welder and has been in that field for seven to eight years. He said he chose to do welding because it’s a trade he learnt after school, and he continued pursuing it. Furthermore, he shared that he would like to see work done on the playfield near his home and the installation of more streetlights.
Because of its size, there are no gas stations, supermarkets, or clinics near the village. Therefore, residents would have to visit neighbouring villages Vergenoegen and Greenwich Park.