because her husband was also a well-established businessman in the market

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To her sons she is a gem- precious, beautiful, inspiring; so whenever you hear the name Gem Solomon,  know that that is no misnomer but very apt for one of Linden’s hardest working moms.On Saturday evening last Gem’s commitment to her work paid off when she was rewarded with a trophy and token, for designing the best gown for the Miss Linden Town Week PageantGem said it was long overdue, as she had been designing and sewing clothes forever, but her name was hardly ever mentioned at the events where her pieces were exhibited.“It felt really good you know, to see that people recognize my work,” she confessed.Coming two days before Mothers’ Day made the award even more meaningful.But Gem Solomon is no stranger to the world of fashion, having started working with fabrics from the tender age of 13 years old.At the time she was living with her extended family at Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara, and learnt the trade from her aunt who was a prolific seamstress.“Sometimes when she went out, I took the bits and pieces and tried to put something together for myself or for one of my nieces. I would do that until I learnt to sew really well.”Gem Solomon and her son SharmaHowever, Gem would only launch out as a full-fledged seamstress after she migrated to Linden.She would also meet her husband there and gave birth to two sons Quincy and Quacy.Quacy, who is well known in Linden as Sharma Solomon is currently Chairman of Region Ten.Gem said she always knew that Sharma would grow to be a leader as he was always correcting people, including his elder brother and her.“He was never shy about expressing himself, especially if he felt that something was wrong with the manner in which it was put over, and you can’t beat him in an argument.”Quincy, the elder of the Solomon siblings would qualify as a school teacher and later migrate to the US.Gem Solomon is justifiably proud of her sons’ achievements.She reminisces fondly that the two boys practically grew up on the market, where she operated a grocery stall.“I used to cook and everything on that market, and they used to come and eat and do their homework right there. We would do everything there, until it was time to go home in the evenings.”Later Gem would start sewing clothes in the market, and after a while she would stop selling groceries, because she loved the sewing more, and was very much in demand.Gem admits she didn’t have to sew, because her husband was also a well-established businessman in the market, but it was something she loved, and she also loved the fact that she was earning her own money.She even confesses that as a teen she had enrolled at the Demba Trade School where she learnt to be a mechanic, but never took the time to practice that trade because of her commitment to her sewing.MotherhoodMothering her two boys was easy, she said, as they were very “obedient boys.”“I never had any problems with them, however, the one thing that stands out in my mind was when they told me they didn’t want to go to the church we had been attending, because it was a ‘woman church’; that was the Unity Church. I did not argue with them and so they started to go to their own church.”Gem credits her children’s development to her unwavering faith in them and her continuous support.She is very proud of them she says. That sentiment is likewise reciprocated.Her son Sharma describes her thus, “My mother is very beautiful, and inspiring and creative. I remember as a child she was always telling us stories of life in the country and so on. We were inspired by those stories. She is also very hardworking. I get a lot of inspiration from her.”Looking back, he was only reiterating what he had acknowledged during his swearing in as Regional Chairman.Today Gem Solomon is justly happy to have brought up two sons who are responsible and respected young men, with a lot of potential.Her only regret is not having had the opportunity to have her own little girl to display her beautiful children’s clothes.She is however blessed with three beautiful granddaughters. (Enid Joaquin)