Story and photos by Joanna Dhanraj
Catherina Sophia or CS as most villagers refer to their home, lies tucked away in a tiny corner of the West Bank Demerara. Because of its situation, many persons use speedboats to get to and from the village. Almost all of the villagers have their own boats and the custom is to take the ten-minute ride across the Demerara River to the East Bank Demerara where ground transportation is accessible. The route along the West Bank is used also but very rarely since it’s miles away from public transportation. The loam road’s terrible condition makes it inaccessible most of the time and according to the villagers, when the rain comes, the road is a disaster. Canefields line one side of the village while on the other side is the Demerara River.
The population of a little over 100 persons has no access to electricity or running water. However, the residents of Catherina Sophia
