SANGOLDA: Talk about a long commute to work. At first glace, Carmin Colaco, a determined and hardworking woman now in her late forties, is no different from most other fish vendors in Goa. Like every day in the past 23 years, her journey begins at the crack of dawn, around 4 am, when she sets off from her native village, Nuvem, to Margao, to buy fish from select Goan fishermen at the wholesale market. With a heavy basket balanced gracefully on her head, she embarks on her mission as a door-to-door saleswoman-bringing fresh seafood to the villagers of Sangolda, 40 kilometres away, in North Goa!
Carmin’s foray into doorstep delivery started when she found herself struggling to make ends meet after the birth of her first child. When she was around a year old, she decided to take on the arduous task of selling fish to provide for her family.
“I take the bus, and reach Sangolda by around 9.30 am,” she explains cheerfully. Traversing the entire village on foot, Carmin faces stiff competition from vendors on cycles and bikes, but her determination keeps her going. She typically finishes her rounds by 1 in the afternoon.
As she goes about her work, her sweet voice echoes through the quiet village, surrounded by fields on all sides. Her clear call, “Bai, nuste zai?” (Sister, want some fish?), is a familiar and comforting sound to the elderly residents of Sangolda, who swear by Carmin’s seafood.
Carmin affectionately calls her customers ‘Bai’ and ‘Baba’. Despite delays, her loyal customers wait patiently for her arrival. She’s known for being weatherproof, braving rain or shine to deliver fresh fish to her community. In return, the kind people she serves often offer her tea and snacks as tokens of appreciation.
In the face of competition from motorcycle vendors, many of whom are migrants, Carmin stands out with her politeness and commitment to selling good quality fish. She carries mostly river fish, known as ‘Manshechim nuste’, which neither have preservatives, nor formalin, making them a healthy, tasty choice for her customers.
“Many of my customers are in their 70’s and 80’s and wait for me to visit them daily. They love to talk, and we have long, interesting conversations. I’m grateful that I get to learn a lot about their lives and experiences,” she says.
Carmin’s interactions extend beyond her human customers. All the cats in the neighbourhood, recognising the sound of her voice, often wait on the compound walls for their share of fish.
Her day concludes when she returns home around 4 pm. Carmin says her husband is her biggest support, a hardworking and loving man. The couple has managed to construct their own large house in Nuvem. She credits her success to the kind-hearted people of Sangolda, who have been an integral part of her journey.
Despite not having the luxury of attending school, Carmin has seen her two sons pursue careers in hotel management, while her daughters have become a teacher and a banker.
Even with her children earning well, Carmin says she will continue to make the long trek to North Goa, to sell her fish. Her philosophy is simple: “As long as I have strength in my legs and the beautiful people of Sangolda expect me there, I won’t shy away from hard work. God has given us hands and legs for a reason, we should put them to use.”
