FOR Ron Beckles and his family, life is not perfect, but it is still considered good in Silver City, Wismar, Linden, since they have established a small business which is their sole source of income to the home.

Beckles and his wife, Nicola Sears, have a small grocery shop that adjoins their fence from the yard and a roadside stall where they vend ground provisions and vegetables.

The 40-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is originally from Victory Valley, but relocated to Silver City at his wife’s place.

The father of two added that life in that village is very quiet and simple.

He would assist his spouse to operate the business when she is out and when he can, he would buy clothes and take it into the interior to vend.

Since things have been slow, he is yet to return to the hinterland to conduct his small business.

Beckles stated that there is unity among the people there, but a lot has changed from the early times to now.

“We live in a good place because there is peace and no ghetto kind of behaviour here. Just one time we had a break-in, but nothing else since,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nicola Sears told the Pepperpot Magazine that she has been living in Silver City for all of her 44 years in existence and it is home.

She is trying to keep her head above the water with her small business, since jobs are not readily available in Linden.

Despite these challenges, the couple seems particularly happy and contented.

Andrea Hinds
Another resident, Andrea Hinds is also a stall owner who sells ground provisions, eggs, fruits and vegetables from her roadside small stall.

The 42-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that life in Silver City isn’t too bad, since, from her home, she is doing many things to earn.

“I have the stall here and then I plant cash crops, fruits and we rear pigs,” she said.

She has lived all her life in Silver City and, at the time, was planting some peppers in the yard.

Hinds is the mother of four, and her grown children would assist her with the gardening.

This family does not buy greens and fruits, since they grow their own.

“Nothing bad really happens here because it is quiet and nice. People are working, and things [aren’t] so bright, but still, there is some colour to life here,” she said.

Lloyd Gilbert
This gentleman is a resident of Silver City and the father of six who has been confined to a wheelchair for the past three months, having lost the lower part of his right leg.

It was amputated due to his uncontrollable diabetic condition after a nail had inserted itself into the sole of his right foot.

‘I was doing some yard work and I accidentally stepped on an old nail and I didn’t take it seriously until my foot started to swell and turned black,” he said.

By then, it was too late to save it, and he was advised that he had to amputate a part.

The 73-year-old is optimistic he will soon be able to be outfitted with a prosthetic leg, and he can resume his everyday life.

When the team visited, he had already prepared a pot of rice with curried chicken and was relaxing by the doorway.

Gilbert was a miner who has been living in Silver City for the past 40 years.

He is originally from Ann’s Grove, but moved to Linden to help his mother sell after which he settled in that region.

Having spent 15 years in the hinterland working as a pork-knocker, Gilbert told the Pepperpot Magazine that he retired as he began to advance in age.

He is supported by his son and his daughter-in-law, but would try to do things for himself.

“Life here is nice. Today I went to the hospital to get a check-up for my leg and I got my meds too. I am accustomed to living here,” he said.

Gilbert used to rear a lot of pigs, but due to his diabetic condition he had to quit and now they just have some ducks in the backyard.