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“I started bee keeping project some five or so years back. What motivated me to start this project was the knowledge I acquired during one skills training that I attended. In that training, I found out that as I grow old, this type of project would be the best for me because there is less hard work in it, yet the returns appear high. So, I decided to try it out. And it worked. Since then, I have continued with it.”
The Life as Beekeeper
Who belongs to your family / who is living with you?
My name is Atayo Rusticus. I come from here, in Vurra sub-county. I am married and I have children. We are about 10 in the family, including those under my guardianship.
How has beekeeping changed your life?
This honey project has brought some changes in my life. When I harvest the honey, I sell and it helps me with some fees expenses and other expenses in the house. That is why when I heard about Honey Pride Arua, I decided to come for the lease loan facility.
How do you provide a good environment for your bees?
Mostly I clean the apiary. Sometimes, I provide them with water, especially during the dry season.
Once in a while we provide things like cassava flour. But largely, they look for their food.
What do trees mean to you and how can they be protected?
Trees are useful to me. For this bee keeping project, they provide good shade and the flowers provide the bees with food. But generally, trees protect us from strong winds and they give us firewood. And because trees give us fresh air, they are good for humans. This piece of land is mine. So, no one will come here to cut the trees because they also know that I have this project here. That way, the trees are protected.
What is the most important thing in your life?
The most important thing in my life is education. To provide good education to my children. I work hard to get money to educate my children so that they have good future.
What are your biggest challenges and how do you plan to overcome them?
The biggest challenge I have is, here in this project, when you are away for a long time, children that don’t understand this project come and try to tamper with it. Overcoming this problem is about sensitizing the community. The larger community here already knows about the project. It is just isolated cases of stubborn children.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Well, in my leisure time, I just come and inspect this project, especially if I am not sick. You know at this age, we don’t move anyhow.
Which place would you like to see once?
One place I would wish to reach, especially on the side of this project is one where there would be opportunity to learn. I would be very happy to reach such a place.
