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My Story
Born and raised in the exotic and tropical twin islands of Trinidad & Tobago, I was shaped, influenced and inspired by the rich culture, food and the overall lifestyle of my cosmopolitan Caribbean islands. The population of Trinidad & Tobago is predominantly of African and East Indian decent but other ethnicities include Caucasian, Chinese, Syrian and Lebanese.
My amazing childhood was full of fun, family, love, adventure and great memorable experiences which have influenced the direction and path I pursued as an adult. Although I had no siblings, my seven cousins who lived next door, with my aunt, were like my brothers and sisters. We were a simple, close knit family. My mother is a strong, successful, independent, career driven woman. From the age of four, I would spend most of my Summers with my grandmother who lived on the Eastern side of the island in Charuma, a small village in the town of Biche. Grandma Ethel would take me everywhere with her, including a four mile walk to her cocoa and coffee estates every other day. This was how my resourceful grandmother would earn her income; from living off of the land, growing and selling whatever she harvested.
Grandma Ethel did not have a regular kitchen garden, she had a Tropical Rainforest of various plants, some which grew wildly and some which she intentionally planted. Apart from some of these plants being edible, they also had amazing healing and medicinal properties. This, my friends, is what we call ‘bush medicine’. The more time I spent with her and as I got older, she would educate me about the various plants and which ailments they can be used to treat. They were often used by her on me as well as on her close friends and family, so I have seen and felt firsthand the incredible results of ‘bush medicine’ or natural plant remedies. I was introduced and exposed to the medicinal properties of the barks, leaves, seeds, flowers and roots of a variety of plants and trees; the most impressive of these was turmeric. Turmeric stood out to me because it was used for a plethora of ailments. It could practically be used for everything.
As a teenager I loved Biology and Science and I wanted to pursue a career which would allow me to positively impact the lives of others. Later on I had a fulfilling job in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) but I soon came to the crossroads of loving what I did and prioritizing my young son who was about five years old at the time. My time and energy for my son was limited due to the demands of my job in EMS. I wanted to do something that I was passionate about but something that would also allow me the flexibility, income and time to spend with him.
My defining moment was when I realized that, as a single mother at the time, I needed to work for myself in order to get all that I wanted. I began perusing newspaper ads for courses offered by the local government to empower citizens by developing a skill. I took full advantage of these courses and enjoyed learning how to create basic natural products. Upon graduating I responded to yet another local newspaper ad from the Beekeepers Association. It was an exchange program among the islands of the West Indies where one of the participants from St. Lucia, Mr. Francis Jackman, taught a class on making soaps and creams. What absolutely captivated me was that he incorporated a local plant in his recipe which was growing outside in his garden. This immediately transported me back to my childhood with Grandma Ethel in her garden…. or rather, her Tropical Rainforest of plants, and all she taught me about their benefits. I had come full circle! From that day forward I eagerly started creating recipes and formulas using the plants I knew; testing them and seeing the noticeable results on my skin.
Soon I was selling my plant based soaps, lotions and creams at farmer markets and craft shows. My products were a hit! People kept coming back for more because of the amazing results and also because they were all natural products. The most fulfilling and rewarding aspects of my hand-made products business are
- I enjoy what I do
- I positively impact people’s lives and their general sense of well-being by providing them with natural alternatives that work, without having to worry about side effects.
- I ultimately get to spend more time with my son, and now, my daughter as well, doing what I am passionate about.
- I am able to express my creativity through natural healing
- I get to honor my Grandma Ethel, my family and my home country by incorporating and utilizing my upbringing to serve others.
