Abstract. We measured for the first time 7 Be elastically scattered nuclei as well as 3,4 He reaction products from a 58 Ni target at 22.3 MeV beam energy. The data were analyzed within the optical model formalism to extract the total reaction cross section. Extensive kinematical, Distorted Wave Born Approximation (DWBA) and Continuum Discretized Coupled Channel (CDCC) calculations were performed to investigate the 3,4 He originating mechanisms and the interplay between different reaction channels.