- Photo by Marlene McPherson
Cheril Adlam inside the restaurant she owns.
Marlene McPherson, Outlook Writer
CHERIL ROSEMARIE Adlam, a mother of three, is an industrious woman who seizes opportunities for her advancement. She started out as a domestic helper and is still learning to be on the competitive edge in the workforce.
As a child, life was rough for Cheril, the third of eight children. So a family took her in at age of 14 with the intention of ensuring that she gets a secondary education. She was however, put to work as a domestic helper. Her mother became uncomfortable with the arrangement and took her back home.
At 16 years old with a child, she worked as a domestic helper with a doctor and his family whom she described as 'very religious'.
Her stay with this family was short-lived because she later got married. But her days working in the home for other people would not end with marriage. Cheril worked as housekeeper for a while longer.
More out of life
She wanted more out of life however, she went to work in a restaurant owned by Marjorie George.
"She motivated me, she would tell me that I am pretty and I have a business head ... I worked with her for three years amidst many challenges."
Her experience at enterprise inspired her to start a business on her own. "I asked my mother for $20 and bought flour, sugar and spice. I moved from 6 1/4 pounds of flour to 25 pounds, then to one bag of flour, making toto and selling them. One night I envisioned that I was making bulla. I called my neighbour and told her. She encouraged me to embark on this project. The bulla was not as successful as how I thought it should be. However, I got tips on how to make it. I had put too little sugar in it. My immediate family members were my staff at home. After making them I would go to places like Mount Vernon, White Hall, Soho and different districts to look for market. Hurricane Gilbert came and everything was sold off. I got pregnant and afterwards my husband and I separated and the money depleted."
Living in Morant Bay offered new prospects. She went to work in Robbie's restaurant as a cashier and it was here that her skills in other areas of cookery were discovered. She worked there for 3 1/2 years.
She tried her hands at other things as well, including learning to sew at Crystals Fashions at Church Corner. "I would walk every evening to and from the establishment. Later I started to do my own sewing at home. This complemented my wages and it satisfied my earnest desire to excel."
She rented a shop to set up a dressmaking establishment which was her first love.
Nothing comes smoothly
But nothing comes smoothly for Cheril. She decided to quit, finding another dressmaking business too close for comfort and for viability. Cheril cannot be pigeonholed in any one skilled area so she turned her attention to the restaurant.
To be competitive, she did cooking courses in Italian, French and Chinese dishes at B&E Catering School for two years on Saturdays.
She is now working at her business site for six years and she is fulfilled.
"I have no regrets not attending secondary school. The assets and the experience I have acquired have compensated. I take pride dressing up and peeling the banana because I see the results. Don't beat up on yourself about your past, you can be anything you want. The Lord will help you whilst you make yourself available. I try to give to the poor, pay my tithes and the Lord has multiplied (what I have)."
