Despite long days and heavy lifting, Bourda Market vendor, Radha Danpat, says she wouldn’t trade her work for an office job

MARKET vendors in Guyana, and countless other countries, are the movers and shakers of the market. Whether it’s fruits, vegetables, or unique produce, vendors serve as a vital and vibrant bridge between the farm, the farmers, and the tables of everyday Guyanese. At just twenty-two, Radha Danpat has already spent seven years managing her grandfather’s business in the heart of Bourda Market. From six in the morning until sunset, she sells pumpkins, plantains, and watermelons with a pride that defies the perception that market work is “hard and old-fashioned”. In an interview with Pepperpot Magazine this week, Radha highlighted the ups and downs of market life, the everyday hustle and interactions, and why she loves her job so much.

While it may be unusual, Radha is one of the youngest market vendors Guyana has to offer. Though rare, she is also among the most dedicated to her craft. Her love for the market began when she was quite young, through her grandfather. “My grandfather owns this business here. He’s been in business for like thirty-something years, and I guess it’s just like a family tradition.” Radha fell in love with market life more than seven years ago. Although she has other siblings, Radha is the only one drawn to market vending. “It’s always been something in the family. Before my grandfather had his own business here, his dad did the same thing. So it’s like a tradition passed down through generations. I kind of just took it in. I have sisters and a brother, but they prefer to work in offices, while I prefer to be on the market selling these products.”

Since then, Radha has become a master of her craft, working with farmers and suppliers across the country to bring the freshest produce to hundreds of Guyanese daily. But she shared that this was not always what she imagined for herself. “I always imagined myself working in an office, but market work is so much better than people think.” The diverse experiences and interactions with customers have not only confirmed that the market is right for her; she believes market vending is not only a viable option for young people but also among the best they could have. “In the market, you get a different type of life experience. You experience sales and the position itself on a different level, and you get to meet different types of people every day.” She added, “Honestly, it’s great. I can’t see myself working for a company at this point in my life. I’ve been on the market for seven years, and I would say this is the best job I would ever recommend anybody to have: become a vendor on the market and sell.”

The day-to-day life of a market vendor is demanding. Radha starts her mornings around six-thirty, opening the stand and preparing produce for customers who begin arriving just minutes later. Some mornings are bustling, while others are quieter—a dynamic that requires patience and flexibility. “Sometimes in the morning we have a great deal of customers, and then there are days when it’s slow.” She added that although unpredictable, market work follows a simple formula: “Some days are busy, and others are quite slow. It’s like a fifty-fifty type of thing. We work up to six in the afternoon. Market work is pretty easy: you put out, you sell, you supply your customers, and then you lock up and go home at the end of the day, ready for the next day.”

Radha’s selection of fruits and vegetables, which includes pumpkin, lime, and watermelon, was curated by her grandfather. These products come from various suppliers and farmers, often travelling long distances from Bartica, Pomeroon, and other parts of Guyana before reaching Bourda Market. While sourcing produce across the country is one of the biggest hurdles for vendors, Radha says it is necessary. “We have our suppliers all the way from the islands. Basically, we call in on the days when we need them to bring the load. They bring it up to Parika for selling, and then our guys who work the trucks bring the provisions or fruits down to the market here. It gets transported from Parika to here, but it mostly comes from the islands, like Bartica and Pomeroon and stuff,” she said. Although challenging, logistics are as much a part of the job as interacting with customers and managing the stand.

Market work is physically demanding, requiring stamina, strength, and constant activity. Radha works long hours, often without breaks, moving and arranging heavy produce throughout the day. Despite her youth, she handles tasks that would challenge many older workers. She says although it takes a toll, it is part of the job she loves and does not intend to give up. “I’m quite young, I’m only twenty-two, and at this age, I do the job of any middle-aged person. To lift a bunch of plantains, we’re talking about thirty to thirty-five pounds, sometimes twenty. I have days where I go home with pain—sometimes my head, my back, or my feet hurt—but I don’t let it stop me because that’s part of my journey,” she said.

Radha wants to challenge perceptions about young people and agriculture—more specifically working in Guyana’s markets. She believes many avoid farming or market work because they are accustomed to the convenience of nine-to-five jobs with weekends off. “A lot of young people these days just want to work the regular nine-to-five job and have weekends off, whereas this is seven days a week. On holidays we work half-days, but other than that, it’s every day. You’ve got to be on your feet all the time and have your head on straight.” Yet she believes hard work and dedication are lessons young people need to embrace. “I would really encourage my generation to take things a bit more seriously. You can have fun—nobody’s stopping you—but life is not going to wait on you. You’ve got to get up and get what you need. That’s what I believe.”

For Radha, the market is more than a place to sell pumpkins, plantains, and watermelons. It is a space to grow, test limits, learn, and carry forward a family legacy. “I’ve seen my grandfather do this job for so many years, and after I got into it, I could really understand what he meant. Agriculture teaches you life from a different perspective. It’s not just about the corporate world where you just do your work and that’s it. Agriculture requires you to be active all the time. Your mind has to be straight and sharp,” she said.

As Guyana celebrates Agriculture Month, Radha extends her wishes and hopes her story will inspire others to explore the opportunities and lessons that market life offers. “I’d just like to say a very happy Agriculture Month, and I encourage more people in my generation to get active in agriculture because it can really change your life. You need to learn and have different experiences in life. You’ll see something else that you never thought you’d see, and not the way you would see it in the corporate world. This here, on the market, is something else.”