The honey and wax produced by Ethiopian bees are helping to generate income for beekeepers across the country, and now Welsh charity Bees for Development is helping to grow the numbers of entrepreneurial Ethiopian beekeepers further.
UK aid has awarded Bees for Development, based in Monmouth, Wales, £50,000 through the Small Charities Challenge Fund (SCCF). This funding will train and start the new businesses of beekeepers in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Beekeeping offers young people without access to land a viable income earning opportunity with very low start-up costs.
“Small, UK-based charities up and down the country, often staffed by volunteers, are incredibly valuable in making a difference around the world. DFID’s Small Charities Challenge Fund celebrates their innovative work in some of the world’s poorest countries. Bees for Development is a great example of how a small community in Wales is helping to make a huge difference in Ethiopia. They are providing an invaluable entrepreneurial experience to young people, helping them thrive and support their own community,” said Penny Mordaunt, International Development Secretary.
The Bees Ethiopian project has four aims:
- To deliver beekeeping training to vulnerable communities to build sustainable and resilient livelihoods
- Help beekeepers secure the best value for their bee produce by accessing strong market chains, which are fair and rewarding
- Ensure that honey bee populations thrive as a result of environmental protection
- Enable beekeepers to access high quality, relevant information about methods, market opportunities and policy development
“Bees for Development helps the poorest people earn extra income through beekeeping. We are a specialist organisation, with a niche set of skills. This grant from the Small Charities Challenge Fund will enable us to help families in Ethiopia keep bees profitably, so they can earn extra income to buy school uniforms, pay medical costs, buy food and pay off debts,” said Dr. Nicola Bradbear, Director of Bees for Development.
Original source: DFID
Published on 27 July 2018
