As its name implies, Mother’s Day is when mothers are honoured and celebrated. It is observed on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the months of March or May. Stabroek News interacted with two mothers who are vendors at the Stabroek Market to get their insight on the challenges they face while vending and how they are able to provide for their families.
They both complimented their parents for teaching them to be independent.
Chandroutie Alfred
Chandroutie Alfred, a 49-year-old mother of three children and three grandchildren who resides at Lot 23 Marysville Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara told this newspaper that she started selling fruits at the age of six.
Alfred related that she grew up in vending at the Stabroek Market with her parents. They sold fruits and both of her parents had taught her everything she needed to know about vending. She recalled going to the market with her mother early in the morning. It was fun, she said, and added that she enjoyed every moment of vending because she too had the opportunity to teach her children the art of vending, at the Stabroek Market as they grew up.
She said she would start vending around 7 am and end at 5:30 pm every day. She is accustomed to it.
“My two boys and one girl, who are adults, grew up in vending,” she said. Alfred explained that from school in the afternoon her children would go to the market to assist her in selling fruits then go to lessons. They would then return to the market after lessons.
“They enjoyed doing it,” she related.
Today, two of her children have joined her in her profession. “It is very nice to have kids and I wish if I could have more kids,” she said. “They are so loving and nice, so are my grandchildren; they are so loving. I love them a lot.”
She admitted that sometimes she struggled to maintain her family. She has been the sole breadwinner of her family since 2013. Her husband met with an accident in 2013 and he’s unable to work. Some days the market will be tough, she said, while some days she would meet her target.
Also, she tries not to let anything bother her in vending because she believes that you have to struggle to get where you are. She said, “Just bringing up my children, which I did successfully and now they are always here for me, is good.”
She noted that vending had taught her to earn her own money. Being independent and working with herself, she said, she was able to pass on to her children as well, so they can pass it on to her grandchildren.
Ann Gordon
Thirty-eight-year-old Ann Gordon of Lot 250 Kuru Kuru, Soesdyke Linden Highway told this publication that she started selling vegetables and fruits at the age of 34, after her mother had fallen sick.
Gordon said that assisting her mother to vend outside of Stabroek Market when she was ill made vending exciting for her. After her mother died, she completely took over.
Gordon related that unlike her mother, she believes vending is a good thing as she likes being independent.
She became a mother at the age of 21 and said it has been a joy to have children. “As a single mother and a vendor I would find it hard to provide for my kids while vending because every day is a struggle for me to get sales,” she said. Despite that, she continues to do vending.
She added that her experience vending has been both good and bad. There have been people throwing remarks at her relating that it’s the only thing she can do for a living.
She has faced difficulties with the location, or the effects of the rain; nevertheless she continues to vend because she enjoys doing it.
For Gordon, the important thing in life is to have children and for them to be around to say, “I love you and to receive kisses from them.” Gordon enjoys taking care of her children, regardless of the time she goes home.
She described Mother’s day with her children as a blessing. She recalled that one Mother’s Day, she arrived home late, about 10 pm, to find that her children had prepared her dinner. She was able to spend quality time with them.
She highlighted that this year, she will do it a little differently; she plans to be home to spend Mother’s Day with her children and in the evening she will be using the complimentary tickets she got for a girls’ night out with her friends.
