Photos by Joanna Dhanraj
Thirty-eight kilometres from the city, sitting between Good Hope and Jonestown in Mahaica is the community of Hand-en-Veldt, home to almost 300 residents.
It is not surprising that the village’s Dutch name translates literally to ‘Hand and Field’, because its main economic activity is farming. It is said that almost every man in the village has a job and cannot be found at home after six in the morning. However, on Sundays and holidays, one would find them indulging in a bit of relaxation at home or having a drink with friends at a liquor restaurant. The women keep house or tend their kitchen gardens; a few accompany their husbands into the backdam. The younger folk prefer to be occupied with driving or working at private and government firms in Mahaica or in the city. It is rare to find youths taking up agriculture.