Did you ever have your own concept of a ‘superwoman’? For some it may be a high-powered lawyer, for others it may be that ‘tough as nails’ teacher, but for us she’s dressed in paisley leggings and green water boots.
Yes, we know it’s off from what you’d normally expect but when we met Ms. Wilbertha Wilson, it was the only word that we could come up with. Here’s our justification for why the short-haired beauty is our version of a comic book ‘shero’.
She grew up in a house of six children with no father around and though surrounded by trees, she noticed very early on that money didn’t grow on them. Being the eldest, she started making and selling guava-cheese at the age of sixteen and would share the earnings of her sales to her mother and five other siblings.
She decided to get a 9-5 job, thinking that the salary would help to elevate her financial situation but it still did not help to make ends meet. Always being able to find a solution, she found herself waking up a few hours before going to work, to farm and make confectionery, and ran home after work to sell it.
A few years later, she started a family (two children) with a farmer and continued her farming and confectionery on top of being woman of the house. It wasn’t long after that she realised she was the main breadwinner. Unfortunately, the relationship ended and she became a single mother.
During the separation, it dawned on her that from a child she was always dependent on herself, and from there, Ms. Wilson decided to branch out into net-fishing. Even hiring another single mother to not only aid with her net-fishing business but to also support another single-mother and her family.
Should we go on or are these enough to qualify her as having super-human strength? (Plus she’s the fastest person we’ve ever seen climb a golden apple tree).
Her advice to other women who may have been in similar situations “Put the dirty pride aside, do what you can with your hands – whatever craft that may be – and you will find a way.”
P.S if ever in need of a sweet fix, you can find Ms. Wilson in La Haut (quarter of Micoud located near Furniture City). Call 758-723-7989 for deliveries.
– Keithlin Caroo, Helen’s Daughters
*This is part of the #HerStory series from Helen’s Daughters. Every month, #HerStory will feature women involved in agriculture or agri-tourism ventures. Helen’s Daughters is a St. Lucian non-profit with a special focus on rural women’s economic development through improved market access, adaptive agricultural techniques and capacity-building. Helen’s daughters was formed in 2016 in a winning proposal for UN Women’s Empower Women Champions for Change Program.
To learn more about the initiative, you can visit:
Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/helensdaughters.slu/),
Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/helensdaughters.slu/)
Website (http://helensdaughters.org/)
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