This Week we Feature Young Professional DeVante C. Maduro
Our Young Professional Mr DeVante Chappy Maduro has a story not similar to those featured before. His is one that was surrounded by challenges that are common especially among youths of today.
His story is one that has content that he said that while he would have loved to have it different, he has no regrets and he has learnt that, “Some of us go through some rough times in life but it is a mold that you are being poured into and when hardened you are made into something that you never expected and that’s my story,” said DeVante.
He had no reservation in making it known that he was an early high school leaver. “I dropped out of High school, life was not easy for me, yes I dropped out of high school,” he said but added that was the beginning of him being prepared to be poured into his life mold.
“Singing is my thing, I love singing and I start doing my little thing there, my little business there two years after I dropped out of school.”
Realizing that not completing high school was nothing close to the ideal situation for the beginning of a fruitful life for any young man, our Young Professional said that reality quickly stepped in that he could not just sit idly by as ‘the devil would find work for idle hands.’
He is very close to his father, in fact to him his father Mr Glenford Chappy Maduro is more than just another father figure, he is his hero. “My father took me in hand and my father saved me, I love my father if it was not for him I don’t know where I would have ended up. My father is my hero, I love him very much and will make him proud, very proud,” he said very emotionally.
“My father was Tortola’s first Road March champion; he won four Road March back-to-back.”
Not being in school and nothing doing DeVante said he told his father that he wanted to start his own business. “My father told me that I have to show him that I want to do business, at first I wasn’t making any effort, and then I started saving my money.”
With a few dollars in hand he said that he started out by selling grilled fish. That failed after a while then the promise of a breakthrough was evident, “I started doing hamburgers and everybody would say that I had some of the greatest hamburgers, I don’t mean to brag but people keep on coming to buy, buying burgers, buying burgers.”
Men like those at the fire station who every Saturday would make large orders were credited were spreading the word of the great burgers of ‘Young Chappy’. He is today still a very small but budding businessman and his burgers have become a favourite taste in the mouths of many.
He credited his dad for showing him the way how to make money. “He used to get me up from morning, early morning on the soft ball field helping him clean up, going parade, village, music fest, kiddies fiesta we would sell snow-cone. I would always like to let people know that my father has always been there for me.” He related.
“I am today under this little white tent but come the next few years I promise you I would have an established eating place, nice and comfortable with chairs and umbrellas, a comfortable environment with waitresses and the works and I will keep expanding and expanding, it will happen, I will make it happen no matter what challenge I will make me a successful life,” he said with all confidence.
But his life would not be all about the burgers as he sees himself making it big in the music industry. Today he is one of the lead singers in the recently formed ‘Caution Band’ which was officially launch some months ago at Virgin Gorda.
His father is well known for his accomplishments in the calypso singing industry but never did our Young Professional thought that he would have been walking that deep in his father’s footsteps. “I knew that I loved to sing, I like music but didn’t have it that one day I would be out there entertaining people at shows, in dances and other places by me singing,” confessed DeVante.
His beginnings in the music industry started with a band called ‘Junction Band’. However, after their stuff got stolen he moved on to become a member of the ‘New era band’ after which he moved on to another. After a lapse for some time with the disintegration of the band he was a member of, he continued to dedicate his time and focus on his little burger business when up came one Ricky Conner who was willing to give him a break as the lead singer of the band he was starting - ‘Caution Band’.
“I told him when he was ready I was ready too, I was desperate to sing, I heard of Ricky before being good in the music industry and I just grad at the opportunity,” said DeVante. Today he is the lead singer and giving his patrons not only the best burgers but great entertainment through singing. “It was like God send him for me, so now I sing in Caution Band,” he said gleefully.
He had words of encouragement for other early school leavers that it was not the end of their world and that they can always go back to school.
“I really want to go back to school to better myself in English to open my vocabulary, I can speak, I am a smart guy, but I need to build my vocabulary. I dropped out of school at fourth form but I haven’t dropped out of the path of life.”
He said that it is his deepest desire to see more persons showing determination and ambition even if they did not do well in school or may, like him, have dropped out early from school. “The doors of college don’t have an age stamped on it… it is open to all ages so what you may not have accomplished early you can at any other stage of life. I am not proud that I dropped out but I am not ashamed to say I did. what is important is that I haven’t given up. I am surrounded by people who love and want to see the best of me and but God’s grace I will be a positive influence in this society of the BVI and ever further afield,” said our Young Professional for this week DeVante Chappy Maduro in an inspiration message.
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P.S. Will stop by for one of those juicy and delicious burgers - YUM YUM YUM!!!