In Wawonduru, Kak Ramadhan’s journey began with the courage to step into a world completely unfamiliar to him. Before entering agriculture, he worked as a parking attendant and had never experienced managing farmland or growing crops. Farming was something he once only saw from a distance. But through the guidance and mentoring of the Let’s Grow program supported by Ganesha Foundation, he decided to take a leap of faith and start learning how to cultivate tomatoes.

What began as curiosity slowly turned into determination. Day by day, Kak Ramadhan learned the basics of farming. From preparing the soil and maintaining plant health to understanding how weather and field conditions could directly affect crop growth. More than just planting tomatoes, he was learning how to build a new future with his own hands.

However, the journey was far from easy. During his very first planting season, heavy floods submerged his entire tomato field and destroyed all the crops he had worked so hard to grow. The experience was heartbreaking. For a beginner farmer, losing an entire harvest could easily become a reason to stop trying altogether.

Instead of giving up, he turned failure into a lesson. He returned to the field with stronger determination and a willingness to improve. From that difficult experience, he learned the importance of proper land preparation, weed control, drainage management, and building higher, neater planting beds to better protect the crops from unpredictable weather conditions.

“Crop failure is not the end. If we keep learning and keep trying, there will always be another chance to start again,” said Kak Ramadhan.

Today, that spirit continues to grow alongside the 1,000 tomato plants thriving on his field. The land is now cleaner and more organized, the planting beds are carefully prepared, and the plants are growing healthier and stronger than before. Every row of tomatoes reflects not only hard work, but also resilience, courage, and the willingness to keep moving forward despite setbacks.

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