Exploring the community spirit and entrepreneurial drive of Block 22, Wismar, Linden

LOCATED in Wismar, Linden, Block 22 is a little-known village that has become a well-known tourist hotspot. Not many people pay attention to the housing community of an estimated fifteen hundred, but the well-known lake draws the attention of many. However, the community is more than what meets the eye. A steadily growing community, Block 22 is full of history, entrepreneurship, and love.

Community Values
Shenessa Rocliffe is Linden born and bred. Growing up in Linden, she was fortunate enough to experience that “Linden togetherness” that so many talk about. She remembers the days when village gatherings were an everyday affair; these days, not so much. As she stated, “Growing up in Linden was usually fun on my behalf, because I grew up in two places. I grew up in Half-mile as well as Silvertown. And it was a community where in the afternoon times, everybody would come out and have a jolly time. But as time went by, all the games we used to play stopped. People do not have the time for it anymore.”

She hopes that the community spirit may return with the newer generation. Shenessa thinks Technology may be to blame for the loss of frequent village discussions. As she stated, “Technology has changed a lot of things. People seem to be more withdrawn. But if there is anything that could help, people still come out.” Shenessa encourages her children to be in touch with their community as much as possible. As she shared, “It’s now that I have my kids and a few others kids in the area. They come out and play, and so on. But living here is calm, and I can say that you can save. There was always a hustle. And you could always plant.”

Change and Development.
Villages grow like people do, with a lot of time. When she moved to Block 22 several years ago, Shenessa said that to many people, the community was not even a village at all. A deforested area, with few people and no roads. As she stated, “When I moved to Block 22, there was a little change of environment, yes, but not too much of a change. But it was good, similar to where I was from.”

Today, Block 22 looks a lot different; more than a hundred happy people, and new roads. Shenessa welcomes the rise in population. As she stated, “The community has changed a lot over the years in terms of development. When I came here, there was nobody around, it was just me. I used to ask my brother to come and stay with me.”

Another rise the community has seen is in entrepreneurship. Shenessa is a business owner. Established more than seven years ago, Shenessa’s shop has become a pillar of the community. She is not the only visionary the community has to offer, however. Dozens of people have taken to new business ventures of all kinds. Villagers hope that this movement, coupled with traditional jobs like mining and agriculture, will boost the community economically. Shenessa says, for the most part, she is without complaints about her home, saying that, “It has changed a lot. We have more businesses now. The only problem is we want some street lights.”

Business is doing relatively well, says Shenessa. As we enter the rainy season, business is slow, but it is still good enough to make ends meet. As Shenessa shares, “Business right now, with the rain, is kind of slow. But it is still reasonable to make ends meet. I have had this shop for about seven years.” New businesses seem to be popping up around every corner, and people of the community continue to support them.

As the mother of four children, three girls are still going to school, Shenessa has worked out a way of managing business and family. As she shared, “My children go to Watooka Day school. I have three children going to school. Watooka Day is across the river and past the hospital. It is a bit of a way. But we have our own transportation.”

Not many people have strong opinions on where they live unless they love their community. Shenessa says she enjoys life in Block 22, stating, “I enjoy living here. With the road, we have a little more development, but we would like to see more. But the road is a thumbs up. Before we had issues getting in and out. But living every day, it is getting better.”

On the matter of the lake, Shenessa says that community people do not visit the lake as often as one would think. As she shared, “Actually, people in the community do not really go to the lake now, but people come in to see the lake all the time. For me, personally, I have not been to the lake in over a year; and I live so close. There are people who live really close to the lake too.”