Mérida, Yucatán, (March 26, 2021).- A family from Pensiones converted a street corridor that was used as a garbage dump into an urban garden that now generates various fruits and vegetables for families in the area.
The initiative came from William Paul Loeza, a young man who together with his family decided to use the space where they constantly dumped waste to build a home for the plants.
“The street corridors mostly serve as dumps, people are constantly throwing garbage, tree branches, debris, glass, old furniture, dead animals, dirty diapers, and more. My son William had the idea to take advantage of that space and turn it into an urban garden, ”informed Wendy Lira.
William explained that for several months they worked on the project and little by little they created it until a few weeks ago they finished a container where they sowed the first seeds of chili, carrot, radish, chayote and tomatoes.
“The idea is to involve the neighborhood in the planting and care of the garden and when it is time, harvest and share the vegetables with them,” he said.
However, on Monday, March 22, the family discovered that someone had stolen a papaya plant that one of the young Pensiones residents had planted there.
“It was a papaya tree about a meter and a half tall, my grandson brought it on his bicycle, they planted it here, it sprouted, the papaya did not fall, a person who perhaps did not know, it was easy for him to tear it off and take it away,” said Landy Cantos, a relative involved in the project.
“In broad daylight, someone stole the papaya tree, I still can’t believe it, it makes me very upset, it seems to be insignificant, but we have been watering and taking care of the plants and trees there for weeks,” added Wendy.
Despite the theft, the family was not discouraged and reported that they will continue with this urban garden project for the neighbors.
