BETHANIE – Bethanie-based Aloysius Colman started his backyard garden two years ago to grow carrots, beetroot and cabbage – but due to the hard soil and high salt content in the soil, it did not bear any fruit.

These obstacles did not deter him from realising his dream of growing crops for consumption. 

“Realising my challenges, I started collecting more suitable soil with a wheelbarrow from areas further down from my house and also started protecting my acres with plastic not to be contaminated by the bad soil in my garden,” Colman (45) told New Era during a recent visit. 

The surplus vegetables are for sale, at affordable prices, to the community in the village. 

According to him, as soon as climatic conditions improve for gardening, he will plant more seedlings and remains optimistic about having a good harvest by the end of the year. 

He also wants to expand his project to share his expertise with unemployed youth and give them a lifeline. 

“I requested the Bethanie village council to donate the piece of land bordering my fence and also assist me by transporting more fertile soil for me with their heavy-duty vehicles – but til now, I have not received feedback if my request will be approved,’’ Colman added. 

He also has bricklaying skills that were ingrained in him by his late father. 

Colman has started manufacturing bricks in his yard to extend his corrugated zinc shack. 

“Not having the needed financial resources, I can now only manage to make 75 bricks per day with a handmade iron [machine], water, cement and sand,” he said. 

Colman said he hopes to receive assistance from the village council for his garden project and Berseba constituency office to assist him with a concrete mixer and cement so that he can train the unemployed in the village. 

“When you visit my place again, you will witness the success of my projects,” an optimistic Colman said.