Our students have talent!
We told you a few weeks ago the story of three amazing domestic workers passionate about photography.
Today meet Bayti and discover her secret how to make any plant grow.
Bayti comes from Indonesia and has been working in Singapore for more than four years. She’s one of our wonderful Uplifters Gold Team Leaders : she has facilitated more than five sessions of “Dare to Dream”, our 3-weeks free online course!
Our team leaders are volunteers and dedicate their precious time-off to help fellow domestic workers build better futures for themselves.
On top of her long working hours and dedication volunteering at Uplifters, she is passionate about gardening and cooking. She combines her passions to grow herbs and things that she will use in her cooking. She learned to cook and garden by herself.
Her passion also helps her employer to save money!
The plants she grows are basil, mint, chilli and capsicum.
She wants to share some interesting tricks for those who are interested to do the same :
How to make a plant grow?
- Cut the stem and put in the water
- Wait until the root comes out
- Plant it in the soil (soil can be bought anywhere)
- Water the stem with rice water or water mixed with milk (that gives more nutrition to the plant)
Other general gardening tips :
- You have to take care of the plants with your heart. You can talk to them too because they can feel it.
- Water the plants twice every day with rice water and milk leftover
- If you notice anything unusual (like white sticky substance on the leaves), remove the sick leaves.
- Remove the seeds from the plant when you cook them (chilli, tomato, lady’s fingers, capsicum, ginger, turmeric, galangal, etc)
- Grow something that you can use for cooking, this is more fun!
- Use compost mixed with normal soil for the plants.
Her message for those who may feel discouraged if it is not working:
“Don’t give up if your plants don’t grow that well. Just keep trying and be patient, you will soon see results!“
“As I love to cook, I find recipes on the internet, YouTube, Facebook groups, Pinterest and Twitter. The Internet is the best way to learn anything! Even if you cook something for the first time and it turns out not to be what you expected, you can find the adjustment (maybe there was too much of one ingredient, not enough of another…). Try different ways. Also, learn about spices as this gives all the taste to a dish! Learn about timing too. Not too long, not too short to make sure you don’t kill the nutrition or the vitamins. Cook with love so it helps the food look and tastes delicious!”
Her motto is: “If I can do it myself, I don’t need to buy it!”
Bayti is thinking about making her own fertilizer so she will not need to buy it in a shop. Not only are her crops useful on a daily basis and give a special taste to her cooking, but they also beautify her employer’s garden.
Now she is even considering making her own spice cultures as she had in Indonesia. “I like challenges that can make me grow every day. I also like crochet, knitting and drawing but I’m too busy now and have to make a choice. But I know I can come back to those anytime.” Bayti loves DIY in general and would rather do anything herself rather than buy it! “Plus I know where it comes from!” she says. Each time she changes employers she adapts herself to the new one and tries to learn what would please them, incorporating her talents.
Furthermore, Bayti also shares her knowledge with the Domestic Workers community, which is a precious act of generosity.
Thank you for sharing your passion and your tips. This can surely inspire a lot of people!
