ANNOTTO BAY, St Mary — Errol “Exodus” Green has been a hustler from he was a boy selling peanuts on the streets of Crambhall.

“I was known to [sell] the best peanuts in Annotto Bay,” he told the Jamaica Observer with a wide grin.

These days he’s known as the man who built an entire block at the local high school before he owned his own home. He’s also known for being the driving force behind Annotto Bay Fest, an event that ferrets out and hones aspiring artistes.

Green gets great joy from giving youngsters a hand up because he knows all too well what it is like to struggle and hustle on the streets.

“I wasn’t privileged like most of the other children so it was rough. It is either you get involved in drugs, crimes, or end up dead,” he said of his early years.

He clearly remembers going to school, Annotto Bay Primary, without shoes on his feet.

Exodus did not attend classes because he was interested in learning, but only because he was sent by adults who saw it as a way to get him out of the way. He was never considered a troublemaker but was described as a real hustler on the streets where, in addition to peanuts, he sold fruit and crab.

His parents were not together and he received little to no guidance from them, but he eventually found solace in the church. It was there that he learned about morals and ethics. He soon saw the church as his path to a spiritually better life, a place that gave him hope; somewhere he could both give and receive help. By the time he was 19 years old he was baptised and convinced that he had a bigger role to play in society.

He later, however, became disillusioned with the church and walked away. But he never let go of the lessons learned about morality and ethics and he still yearned to do something grand, something good.

That yearning has its genesis in his memories of a popular 80s dancehall sensation who was Crambhall’s benefactor.

“My role model was Josey Wales. He was kind and when he came to the Crambhall community everyone would receive money and food. He took the children to the ice cream shop and bought us ice cream. It was Josey Wales I saw as the first person to make a contribution to the Annotto Bay Hospital. At that time it hit a chord in me that is unexplainable,” said Green.

He vowed that one day he would do the same and maybe even something bigger. But first he had to help himself.

“There was never a time where I wasn’t working, whether in construction or on the plantations,” he said.

In those days, most residents in and around Annotto Bay sought employment on the St Mary or Green Castle estates in construction, or made candy for sale. Green wanted more so he moved to Kingston and got a job with a big delivery company. He eventually lost that job.

“I was unemployed and a friend of mine introduced me to a funeral home that needed workers. I was working there for some time then I was laid off,” Green recalled.

Seeing the possibilities within the industry, he later convinced a friend overseas to join him in the funeral home business. Though they had some measure of success, that venture ended with him being once again without work.

“I was disappointed but not broken, as I have faith in God and I’m a fighter,” Green said.

That determination led him back to Crambhall where he started his own funeral home. For the past 15 years Exodus Funeral Service has built a reputation for its creative headstones. Through it all, Green’s longing to give back to his hometown persisted.

“My first contribution was to the Annotto Bay High School where I constructed the first sixth-form block. I did this before purchasing a home,” a proud Green remarked.

He sees this as one of his major achievements, but he has also taken great pleasure in helping students. Recognising the importance of a good education he has for more than five years paid CXC exam fees for numerous students along with covering their lunch and travelling expenses.

“I play my part to those who really need it. I once was there and know and understand,” said a reflective Green.

Determined to help as many people as he can in and around Annotto Bay, he has partnered with CHIC society, a US-registered charity made up of individuals living in Jamaica and abroad but who have their roots in the communities of Enfield and Annotto Bay. Their goal is the upliftment of these communities and crime reduction.

They try to achieve these goals by working with youngsters in the areas of education and entertainment. One of their main fund-raising events is Annotto Bay Fest. Funds raised from the event go towards their back-to-school fairs and distribution of care packages in the communities. These are the things that bring Green joy, and he is determined to keep doing good deeds for as long as he can.