Poverty, tragedy and the hope for a better life

Radika Narine sits with the injured Venisha and the couple’s youngest child in front of the shack they call home.

When Sohan Suknandan and Radika Narine met over 20 years ago they were wide-eyed lovers who had their entire lives ahead of them, with dreams and ambition that they would work and together create the perfect life.

But the years have not been easy on the couple who met, according to Radika, when Sohan visited her community (Betsy Ground, East Canje Berbice) and “we just met up and get together.”

Seven children (between the ages of 18 and 3) later, they now live in a one-room shack on the Ogle seashore and even though Sohan works almost every day as a fisherman it is obvious that he earning is not enough to get the family out of abject poverty. They still have hope though.