Changes, challenges, and raising a family in Three Friends

THE sounds of birds through the canopies, the light laughter of children playing in the open streets, and the hum of a boat engine are just a few of the things that make the community of Three Friends what it is. The village, home to more than 400 people, is uniquely located on the outskirts of Linden. Life in the community has evolved to incorporate all modern necessities with practices that many consider traditional.

Marla Lamazon is a lifelong villager of Three Friends. She says that many aspects of the community remain primarily the same among improvements. However, one aspect of village life has seen a shift is the work people do and how money enters the community. Having origins in bauxite mining, logging, and later agriculture, most of the village population now ventures outside the community for work. As Marla stated, certain economic endeavours are dwindling. “From since I grew up in here, it’s been bauxite mining and logging also. We have a little farming, but not much, you know. Up and down with the farming.”

With recent developments, the village has seen notable growth. According to Marla, the addition of electricity and water has improved the standard of living in the community, making it a good place to live. “The place is very nice. At least soon, we’re supposed to get the road tarred. We have electricity…the most we will pay is like $1,000 or $300 when we come – $300, $2,000 at the most. But if they allow it for more, well, then it will get cut off. But, free water, nice lights.”

However, the community grapples with its challenges, the biggest being the availability of goods and services. Although the village houses countless small businesses, the opportunity still exists for more diverse business ventures. The community hopes that in time, business in their community will grow because travelling to Linden is no easy undertaking, says Marla. “Well, it’s kind of challenging, but we have to do it because the majority of the stuff is out here.”

She added, “Leaving the community to go and buy your ration and other stuff. It’s really challenging. Not kind of challenging, really challenging.” Challenges with living in the community are coupled with motherhood for Marla. As the mother of four explained, “Well, that. Raising four kids is really tough. As for me, it’s really tough.”
The importance of hard work

Clinton Courtman lives just on the edge of Three Friends village. His home is among the first in the community and was built on the bank of the Demerara River. The ambitious young man has called the community home for several years, and although he has left several times throughout the years, he always returns to Three Friends. Today, he is a champion for youth development and the importance of hard work. His passion for hard work, especially for young people, comes from his own past. Growing up, although he was full of potential, Clinton admitted that he didn’t place as much emphasis on his education as he should have. “I graduated from TI. I was the best employee for a year. I got an award for that. I took part in most of the activities in the country. I graduated. I never really took much seriously,” he stated.

Logging is still a vibrant business in the community. For the men of the community, logging and bauxite are the most common options for work. “Mostly, it’s logging in the community. Logging and people who work in the bauxite company. Logging and bauxite,” says Clinton. Three Friends is home to a logging concession that was developed in hopes of making the work less arduous. However, the industry still has its challenges and remains a field that requires hard work and long hours. As Clinton explains, “It is different here because this community has a concession, but the distance and the people you have to get access to the wood and things like that is difficult. It’s a long process.”

Many people may not see the appeal of calling a community like Three Friends home. However, Clinton shares that his village is among the most diverse and supportive places in Guyana. “One of the things I like about the community is that some people just come together and help you with things like the farming group just come together and work towards together and stuff like that,” he said.

Throughout his life in Three Friends, Clinton has dealt with his share of challenges and changes. But his drive for self-improvement, backed by the unwavering community’s support, has brought him a long way. He stated, “Well, the importance of hard work is that, for me, if you want… I used to wake up early as I know, I used to wake up early and go with them. You know, at the end of the day, it’s why some people come, if they must come, because nothing will come easy without hard work.”