Making a living: Aishalton widow uses business to support village farmers

Some fifteen years ago, life changed for Genevieve Nario when her husband died suddenly. With six children to raise on her own at their home in the Deep South Rupununi village of Aishalton, she had to find a means to create a bright future for her offspring.

After years of working with persons within the community, Nario, fondly known as “Aunty Genny”, worked on a plan which entailed making several sacrifices along the way. “When my husband died, I had to find a way to make things happen for my children,” she said.
As time passed, she said she decided to save her earnings from jobs that she did within the community. She said she started working with the hot meal project at the primary school and she did that for three years. Then she found a job with a businesswoman, and according to the determined woman, she started to save her earnings while working on her plan.
“My plan was to start a business,” she said. As time passed, she managed to buy the materials needed to build a snackette, and according to her, it was no turning back after she started the business.
She said she started by selling beverages and these included homemade juices among the popular aerated beverages and snacks. Then as the business evolved, she decided to invest in groceries but according to her, she observed that many farmers, mostly small cultivators, would visit her shop with their produce. “They would bring ground provisions, like plantains and yams and so, and vegetables and they didn’t have a market for it,” she added. “I told them I know what it is to have produce with no one to buy, so I decided to buy it and sell back,” Nario said.
Nario said she has no regrets about the decision. She said many times she would consider what would happen if the farmers had no one to sell their produce to. “I don’t know if I am the only one but I think I am the only one who buys their produce,” she said.

Nario said that she started the business with the intention of taking care of her family, adding that her two sons and four daughters were always a priority. “For this business, I saved $10,000 and I used the money to build a stand,” she said. As time progressed Nario enclosed the area and converted it into a shop.
Aside from selling the produce from the farmers, Nario said she also does catering and according to her, it is also a viable means of making a living. “I do it at the side, it helps me get by with my business,” she added.
She said that the business is evolving and she noted that the time has come for her to urgently expand the business. “Many people would come with goods such as ornaments, hammocks, handcraft items so I need to have more space,” she added.
In addition, she said that she plans to invest in finger foods and snacks, adding that the foods are always in demand. But Nario said she has a little concern.
She said thieves have been on the prowl within the village and she noted that she even decided to spend time at her shop at night. Accompanied by her children, the woman would sleep at a section of the business in order to secure her goods. She said she is working on a plan to make her business more secure from thieves.
The soft-spoken woman noted that she is determined to ensure her business expands, adding that as a single parent, she believes that there is always a future in opening and operating one’s own business. As for the farmers, Nario said she will continue to support them since according to her, it is always good to assist others.