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“There is a group that came to train farmers on different farming enterprises. One of them was beekeeping. Women were encouraged to join beekeeping. We were put in a group and in that group, there were six women. They gave us hives. But after we started, people started disappearing one by one until we were left about 3 people. Even those other two left. So I decided to repatriate the hives to my place. Since then, I would call some relatives to come and help me with harvesting because I could not. But now there is support. That has now motivated me to continue and I am looking forward to getting equipment support to increase my hives and increase production because there is money in beekeeping.”
The Life as Beekeeper
Who belongs to your family / who is living with you?
We are two people staying in our home. Other people are not there.
How has beekeeping changed your life?
Bee keeping has supported me greatly. I have bought a number of items from selling honey. I bought a hoe, I bought a pig, I bought three goats. Some of the money supports us since we are not many in the house, that money supports us greatly with basin necessities.
How do you provide a good environment for your bees?
Basically I clean around that place, the small apiary.
I don’t give the bees special attention because I know that they look for their own food. The problem is usually water during dry season, but they go to the borehole which is nearby.
What do trees mean to you and how can they be protected?
Trees are good. They told us trees protect the soils and make them fertile. That is why our place looks good. Trees also give us good fresh air and they provide us with shade, even the bees.
That is why we put the hives under those shades. In this place, people burn a lot of charcoal. However, if the land is yours, you can stop them from cutting the trees in that piece of land
What is the most important thing in your life?
The most important thing in my life is my life. I would like to live a better life, but it is rather difficult without resources. I am also a Women leader in our church. So, faith and my life are very important to me.
What are your biggest challenges and how do you plan to overcome them?
Our biggest challenge here is poverty. We don’t have enough money. If you sell all the food you harvest, then you will not have food to eat. So, you need some other source of money. For me I get some of that money from selling honey, but again that is once or twice in a year. Now that you are assuring us good market, we are going to increase our production so that we get more money. We need support with equipment, the hives and uniforms for harvesting.
What do you like to do in your free time?
During free time we try to rest, but not much, because you must go to the garden, then when you come back, you have to go and fetch water, then go to the market to look for other things, cook food. So, here, there is no free time.
Which place would you like to see once?
I don’t know any place. But I would love to see one if there is the opportunit
