MPHO MUKOSI
A 34-YEAR-OLD man from Tshipako, a village outside Thohoyandou, has created a botanical garden in his village called Exotic Nurturer of a Healing Heart.
Dzulani Trevor Sidogi said he used the Covid lockdown to do something creative and also to keep the people in his community entertained since there wasn’t a lot to do at that time due to the lockdown.
“It all started as an ordinary garden here at home until I noticed how people used to compliment my space due to it always being clean. I then decided to make something good out of it. Bit by bit, I tried to change how it looks by upgrading the garden and trying to get more materials that I could use just to improve the park, like more flowers and beautiful rocks from nearby mountains, which I used on the ground,” said Sidogi.
Sidogi said all the materials he used for his garden he found on the mountain and nearby river, like the wood and sand he used when building his elephant and giraffe.
“I had told myself that I wouldn’t be buying anything while I was surrounded by all the beautiful material from nature,” he said.
“A lot of young people are falling deep into drugs these days, so I also realised that the park will also keep them away from such things since they will not consume any while they are hanging around the park, and I have seen that many parents allow their children to come and spend the day there since they know that it is one of the safest places a child could be,” said Sidogi.
Sigodi uses his park for various occasions such as birthday parties, weddings and baby showers, and so far he has received so much support from people in his village as well as those who stay far from him, who do not mind travelling just to relax and enjoy with their families.
“My wish is for this park to be recognised all over the world, for people to come from different places, and I believe that when that happens, I will also be able to hire people around my village to help me maintain the place, and in that way, it will also help with the high number of unemployment that we are facing in Tshipako village,” he added.
The Star