Bees as an Economic Factor – and a Path Out of Poverty

Tireless

To produce 1 kilogram of honey, bees must visit a total of 1 million flowers. This requires 50,000 individual flights.

Dear Reader

“Bees and sheep feed their master while he sleeps,” says an old proverb. Of course, it’s not quite that simple. But for poor families in Ethiopia in particular, beekeeping can be a lucrative source of income. Bees don’t need their own land, and while they’re gathering nectar, there’s time for other activities.

Recognizing such opportunities and working with families to take advantage of them is part of our work. Providing them with better beehives and teaching them the necessary skills is just one example. We also show farming families how they can increase their harvests on their limited land by using row planting or growing mixed crops.

There are no magic formulas: A family in an urban slum needs different kinds of start-up assistance than one in a rural forest garden.

Our local experts are on the ground every day. They know the families, analyze their situations together with them, and find solutions tailored to their specific needs.

Your donation makes this work possible – right where the people are. This allows us to use your support where it makes a real difference.

Thank you very much!

Yours,

Claudio Capaul and Michael Kesselring
Co-Managing Directors, Menschen für Menschen

CO-Geschäftsführer Claudio Capaul und Michael Kesselring

Happy New Year!

In Ethiopia, the year is now written as 2019: “Melkam Addis Amet!” (“Happy New Year”) – these were the words people used to greet one another on September 11: The country has its own calendar, which lags behind our Gregorian calendar by seven years and eight months. As always, the celebration fell at the end of the rainy season; in many places, a bright yellow carpet blanketed the mountains and valleys: The “Meskel flowers” are the symbol of the New Year in Ethiopia – and also a feast for the bees.

Sticks, Stings, Falls

About two million families in Ethiopia keep seven million bee colonies – almost exclusively in traditional hives made of wood, bamboo, twigs, and grass, sealed with clay or cow dung. On average, they produce only 8.5 kilograms of honey per year. The bees build their honeycombs firmly attached to the inner wall. To harvest the honey, the combs must be cut out – and the bees must then rebuild them. Many hives hang high in trees. To harvest the honey, beekeepers climb up, often at night when the bees are less aggressive. Stings and falls are a constant risk.

Traditionelle Honigproduktion in Äthiopien — Stiche sind Alltag, Stürze kommen häufig vor

Now the harvest is in the bag …

Menschen für Menschen is now providing families with five beehives each. Inside, the honeycombs hang from individual wooden slats and can be removed. The beekeeper can easily monitor the colony and selectively harvest honeycombs. The yield increases to about 18 kilograms of honey per colony per year. One hive costs 32 francs. In addition, the program provides a three-day training course and protective gear. In total, Menschen für Menschen invests about 190 francs per family.

Honigproduktion: Imker bei den Honigkasten — Imker Worku kann die Bienenkästen jetzt bequem kontrollieren

… and the future looks bright

Worku Alemu owns only a tiny plot of land. To make money, the 35-year-old father repaired umbrellas at markets – using just one tool: a simple pair of pliers. He earned a maximum of 50 birr (equivalent to 25 swiss rappen) a day doing this. Now he’s relying on the new beehives from Menschen für Menschen. His first harvest from just one of the hives filled four buckets – about 20 kilograms. Worku can sell a single bucket for 3,000 birr (15 swiss francs).

Der Vater präsentiert die Honigwaben — Worku präsentiert seinen ersten Rohhonig aus den Bienenkästen

Workus Geschichte

A little wine, honey?

Like most Ethiopian beekeepers, Worku sells raw honey, a mixture of honey and honeycomb. No elaborate separation is necessary: one major customer is the women who produce Tej, Ethiopia’s traditional national drink – raw honey is mixed with water and fermented. Leaves and stems from the native Gesho shrub give it its characteristic tart flavor. Wax and other solid components are filtered out later. The honey wine is served in bars and enjoyed at weddings and other celebrations.

Frau mit zwei Flaschen Honigwein Tej in den Händen

Let there be light!

Beeswax is a byproduct of Tej production. Among other things, it is used to make long, thin candles that are sold outside Orthodox churches. Believers light them during church services and religious festivals.

Bienenwachskerzen erhellen die Nacht während dem Meskelfest in Addis Abeba

Sweet Tooth

On average, Swiss people consume a good two and a half jars of honey per year, for a total of 1.3 kilograms. This makes them among the world’s top honey lovers. Only about one-third comes from domestic production; about two-thirds are

A Banquet for Nectar Collectors

Farmers in our Raphe project area cultivate their forest gardens using a multi-tiered system. Tall trees form a protective canopy. Beneath them grow coffee and fruit trees such as avocado and papaya, while vegetables, root vegetables, and tubers grow on the ground. This allows for the production of many different foods in a small area. Bees also benefit from this: in the diverse forest garden, they find nectar and pollen all year round, while at the same time pollinating many of its plants.