By Emilia Mbishi
Windhoek, 27 July 2022 – A Grade 11 pupil staying in Babylon informal settlement of Windhoek decided to take what she learnt at school to start a garden at home to sustain herself.
The pupil, whose mother refused to have her name published, grows spinach in their backyard which her family uses for food and to supplement the family’s income.
Following suit is Shiwovanhu Sevelinus (34) who decided to try gardening herself, though she has little space for it.
Shiwovanhu made her garden in front of her shack near a dumpsite which was a challenge for her. She grows beetroot, onion and spinach some of which she sells. She also planted an apple tree.
“I started this garden in May this year because as an unemployed youth, I could not just wait for the government’s assistance but took it upon myself to grow my own food to feed my family and earn an income,” she said.
She said the main challenge she faces is getting water for her garden as they no longer get free water as they used to at the onset of the Covid pandemic and she cannot afford a water card.
She asked the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform to go into communities and schools and teach the youth how to grow their own food and the importance of food security.
