At thirty, Abbigale Loncke is the co-proprietor of a developing enterprise born out of a combination of her own entrepreneurial disposition and what she believes is a fast-growing demand for a particular range of services in Guyana.
Her business pursuits take advantage of the training she received in home care and counselling at Birkbeck College, Univerity of London, where she secured a degree in counselling. On her return to Guyana, the Devonshire Castle-born young woman joined the Child Care and Protection Agency where she worked as a counsellor.
It was her grandfather’s illness and the challenges she encountered in finding a caregiver for him that prompted her to establish a service of her own. The market research which she undertook in the process of finding someone to care for her grandfather’s needs made her aware of just how much those and several other services were in demand. Two years ago she quit her full-time job and in partnership with Elwyn Boyle, another UK-trained Guyanese woman, set up Essential Care Agency Inc at 87 Barrack Street, Kingston.
Over time Loncke has discovered that there is a considerable demand for a surprisingly wide range of services. Essential Care provides baby sitters, general caregivers, housekeepers as well as persons who provide a range of support services to the elderly and the infirm including running errands, laundry and shopping.
Much of her time is spent marketing the service, primarily through Facebook and the print media. Over time she has created a roll of 70 workers in a range of disciplines on whose services she can call. Twenty-five of those are currently in active service.
Part of her own time is spent visiting the company’s clients, seeking to ensure that their needs are being adequately met.
Determined to provide her clients with professional support in critical areas Loncke does much of her recruitment through institutions like the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) and the Red Cross. Once they come to work for the agency it is left for her to provide a briefing on its policies and work ethic.
The growing demand, particularly among pensioners and shut-ins, for the services which the agency provides has made Loncke optimistic about the future of her venture. Her fees can range from around $3,000 per 8-hour day for housekeeping. Charges for other care-related assignments vary and are negotiable.
More recently she has begun to explore the Berbice market and is sufficiently encouraged to have established a service facility at Rose Hall. She has developed a roll of 57 workers in Berbice.
