Beekeepers for Life, Empowering 1300 Uganda Women

Introduction

Our beekeeping initiative trains & supports women to become skilled beekeepers, community leaders, trainers & entrepreneurs, through our sustainable beekeeping training model with expert field practitioners. Alleviating poverty by creating Beekeepers For Life in rural communities across Uganda.

Honey and Bees are known to the mankind since times immemorial. Honey is a nutritious fluid collected by Honey Bees which is good for human health. Honey is used by mankind since very ancient period as food , medicine etc. Bee-Keeping industry also plays important role in increase in yield of crop through pollination. This industry plays important role to create employment opportunities among the rural mass.

Currently we have handled training covering the following topics:

• Enabling participants to properly manage their own apiary sites
• Equipping participants with knowledge and skill in using beehive tools
• Enabling participants build or construct hive stands or racks
• Make predator beehive traps, protective gowns and food supplements.

Delivery Methodologies;

All participants were provided with writing materials. To enable the training to be participatory and interactive emphasis were placed on adult learning methodologies over the duration of the training.

• Demonstration – a person is shown how to do something
• Experimental – where the person tries something and learns
• Group discussions
• Oral and written presentations
• Field work

Workshop Participants:

A total of 61 persons benefitted from the training. Both males and females were given equal opportunity to attend the training. This translates into a total of 09 males and 52 females.

• Each group was given to move outside the training venue and list the locally available trees in the surrounding suitable for setting up an apiary (shades and forage)
• The trainees were taken through apiary kit i.e. smoker, hive tool, brush, bee suit, pest repellents
• Participants were also tasked to list different types of hives found in the locality.
• Participants were given the purpose and functions of each of the equipment tools found in the apiary kit.
• Participants were tasked to list different types of beehives hanging methods.
• Shown how to dress and participants tried on how to dress on protective gear or gown.
• They were taken through on how to approach a beehive, with handling and beehive carrying techniques.
• They also learned and participated on how to gently open, inspect and gently close the beehive

• Participants converged at the apiary demonstration site 1 for one of the female participants.
• General apiary site working rules were given before the commencement of the site activities.
• Participants started by clearing the apiary site where to construct the beehive rack table or stand.
• Measured and demarcated the area for construction of the beehive rack table/stand.
• Dug rack-stand pole holes about 30cm deep.
• Measured and cut the appropriate stand length of about 140cm high.
• Fixed the cut stand poles into the dug holes and returned soil to firmly make the poles stand upright to hold the top timber rails.
• Nailed the rectangular rack frame running lengthwise onto the erected poles.
• Applied grease all round the pole to prevent predators.
• Measured and cut the cone shaped metal sheet and nail it above the greased area of the pole in order to protect it from being washed by rain.
• Once the rack stand was ready; protective gear was worn; and one participant climbed on top of the tree to lower the beehives while two others were waiting to carefully carry and place it on top of the newly constructed beehive rack.
• Once the beehive was put on top of the rack; the top hive cover was removed and participants started to inspect the hive colony and removed various pests like cob webs and black ants that had infested the beehive and thoroughly cleaned the beehive.
• This process was done for two other bee hives which were on the tree top without any difficulty.

Making of Sugar Syrup Solution;

• An empty jug was brought
• Two 300ml cups measured filled with sugar crystals were poured into the jug.
• Clean water was brought and slowly/gently poured into the jug containing the sugar while stirring with a clean stick to make a thick sugar solution.
• Once the crystals dissolved a molten sugar mixture was then poured into the hive feeder box through its top opening.
• The beehive top cover was removed and top bars closer to the brooder were removed to create working space for the insertion of the filled sugar feeder box.
• The filled feeder box was then gently inserted into the beehive and the top bars and cover replaced.
• Since there was only one feeder box the other hives were only inspected and cleaned.

Note:

• The feeder box is to be checked and refilled after 4 days. This is to avoid it getting stale which will be poisonous to the bees.
• After the participants finished inspecting and cleaning the beehives they resorted to start making bee suits using the local materials by measuring, cutting and sewing them as a review of what was covered in their first training held by senior trainer.
• Participants cleared the second demonstration site.
• A similar beehive rack was erected following the same procedures as done in demonstration site 1.
• Three Beehives were transferred from the tree top to the newly built beehive rack for inspection and cleaning.
• Other beehives were also lowered from the tree top for inspection and cleaning and returned to the tree stems in order to demonstrate the method of beehive hanging method.
• Participants tied firmly the binding wire all round the already inspected and cleaned beehives.
• An appropriate wire length was cut and tied on the tree stem protected with rubber to prevent it damaging the tree bark or outer coating.
• The beehives were lowered to desired level above the ground surface to allow easier beehive management.
• This was done for all other remaining beehives.
• At the close of day 3 participants had completed making 5 bee suits with local material.

Training Achievements

1. Participants were able to identify suitable tree shades for an apiary site.
2. Participants are able to use apiary gears and hive tools.
3. Participants acquired knowledge on handling and beehive carrying techniques.
4. Participants are able to construct beehive racks or stand with fixed with pest and predator control devices.
5. Participants are able to inspect and clean the beehives.
6. Participants are able to make sugar syrup solution for the beehive.
7. Participants are able to use the beehive feeder box.
8. Participants are able to use the two beehive placement methods; i.e. Beehive pattern method by placing on top of the beehive table rack and hanging on the tree stems by using binding wire.
9. Participants are able to identify various bee castes, brood larva, propolis, differentiate between ripe and unripe honey.
10. Participants are able to practically measure, cut and sew a bee suit gowns from locally sourced materials.
11. Participants have increased knowledge on apiary management.