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“I started bee keeping when I was a small boy of around 12 years old. That was way back when we would be looking after animals. It was like a hobby, but eventually, we were realizing money. So, I know there is benefit in it. That is why I am still in the enterprise. Up to the time when we got some formal training, I was already motivated. So, that benefit I realized as a child motivated me to take bee keeping serious. Up to now, I am now very old but still strong enough to do bee keeping.“
The Life as Beekeeper
Who belongs to your family / who is living with you?
In this home we are with my children and grandchildren. I think we should be around 21. These include 2 orphans and another 2 grand-children. All these I take care of..
How has beekeeping changed your life?
..ehh…in my life I have realized the benefits of bee keeping. It has benefits. For example, I have built a house,… that small house you see over there. I have also bought some animals like goats. It has benefits, that is why up to now I continue with bee keeping. So, bee keeping has actually changed my life, because for me bee keeping and fruit growing…. these mango trees you see here. Indeed, bee keeping has changed my life.
How do you provide a good environment for your bees?
I provide good environment for my bees ……that place where I have kept the hives, I have fencing around them. Bees don’t like a lot of noise, so I often check on them to make sure they are not disturbed, because they also have those enemies. If I find them, I ensure they are eliminated. Things like insects that disturb them and pests. That is how I provide good environment for them.
What do trees mean to you and how can they be protected?
…eh….the reason I have a lot of trees around my homestead is that they are useful to bees. These trees you see here provide food for bee. During their flowering, ahhh… bees don’t go very far. And they build so quickly in the boxes. Even at the site, I have planted caliandra, and bee like it so much. So, trees mean a lot to me. I chose trees or fruit growing because I knew I would need them when I become old and weak.
What is the most important thing in your life?
I know there is poverty, but what I take important is money. I should have money. Because if you have money, work becomes easy. You can solve the problems of poverty.
What are your biggest challenges and how do you plan to overcome them?
There are challenges in life. But now for me it is about my bee keeping. When you site your boxes and you don’t inspect them, you find they have absconded. If you don’t look after them, you find all sorts of pests, lizards, rats, snakes, flies that can lay eggs on the top bars and disturb them. Now the only thing I do is to look after the bees and try to get money from that source to solve my problems.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time I do nothing. I just stay. I read my Bible and that is all.
Which place would you like to see once?
A place I would like to see once is a place of higher learning like Makerere, Kawanda etc, etc. Education is important. I got the knowledge for bee keeping through getting some knowledge. I got some training which is education and that is why I am still carrying on with bee keeping.
