Wesley Basdeo pedals his bicycle cart slowly through the quiet streets of Felicity every day, except Saturdays. An indelible part of the area’s daily life, villagers call him “sno-cone man.”
Basdeo, 38, however, is no ordinary sno-cone vendor. He has taken upon himself the tremendous social responsibility of rescuing the village’s young children, many from underprivileged and unstable homes. To villagers, he is also social worker and pastor.
Felicity, a former rural sugar cane and rice-planting community just off the bustling town of Chaguanas, and at the edge of the Gulf of Paria, has many large houses testifying of its development.
But there are unseen pockets of poverty and in them, heart-wrenching stories of little children who never have enough to eat at home, men broken by debilitating diseases and accidents and poor mothers struggling with handicapped children.
On a regular basis Basdeo provides food, clothing and other basic necessities, and free spiritual advice and psychological counselling to families like these. This week he spent two days distributing free sno-cones to 400 children from six preschools and the Felicity Presbyterian Primary School.
“It’s my way of giving back.”
A married father of a three-year old daughter, he has earned the respect of all in the predominantly Hindu community, even “the drugs men,” he said. Basdeo works with 50 children. He said there are 30 cases of children suffering from autism and other disabilities in Felicity.
Citing some cases of needy families, he said, “A man was living with his wife and three children with an extended family but one day they were drinking and some words were shared and they were put out the house.
“They are now renting an apartment near the Bilyah River, close to the cremation site. The father worked off and on and we help the children.”
Another straightener and painter with nine children lost one foot to diabetes and cannot work, Basdeo said. This family also receives help from him. But he was quick to point out, “This is not a one-man effort.
“This is a collaborative effort. I get financial and other assistance from businesses in Felicity, the councillor and the school.”
Basdeo and the Felicity Community Pharmacy will give out ten hampers this Saturday. His own abusive childhood in a broken home inspired him to help children in similar circumstances, he said.
“My father didn’t want me and my stepmother used to lock the kitchen and I couldn’t get food. I went to live with my mother and my stepfather ill-treated me.
“I was shuffled around from aunt to grandmother to other relatives. I used to hang around people’s homes near lunchtime, hoping to get some food.
“My mother told me the only way I could go to school was if I worked. She bought a sno-cone bike and machine for me and I started selling sno-cones at $1 without milk and $1.50 with milk.”
By age 16, Basdeo had built his own little apartment, adjoining a relative’s home and was on his own.
“I have the best job in Felicity,” he said.
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