Latest Buzz: New Beekeepers in Ngudu

The long-awaited Ngudu Beekeeping Project has finally begun! It wasn't exactly smooth sailing, but when has beekeeping ever been smooth sailing? Tim and I went with Bhatendi, our new beekeeping officer-in-training and it was a full three days. But Bhatendi did really well, jumping in with some of the teaching and it was exciting to get this project off the ground! 

The Ngudu Beekeeping Group

Bhatendi leading the Bible Study

We were able to complete a first draft of our own Beekeeping Manual just in time for this training seminar. It is good to be drawing all we have learned along the way together in a useful format! The course goes through the basic introduction to beekeeping, learning about the bees and life in the colony and then looking at hives and equipment and how to start and care for an apiary. This is all integrated with a foundation in God's word, looking at creation (including the benefits of bees in agriculture) and his kingdom purposes (including business and entrepreneurship). 

Introduction to Beekeeping

We faced quite a number of challenges and frustrations (including some very burnt, soggy chips in a very noisy guesthouse!), but one real struggle was just getting the group together. On the first day, only one person out of the twenty who had signed up showed up … and this was starting three hours after the set time! Four others joined us and the pastor was adamant that more were coming. Anyway, by the time we finished on the second day we had a group of ten including the pastor. Bhatendi is returning in a couple of weeks to teach another mini-seminar to all those who missed it for reasons still rather unknown! 

Learning about protective gear!

If anyone has contacts with any beekeeping groups who would like to help our beekeepers with any protective gear, it would be really appreciated! Getting the suits and veils and gloves is a challenge here … so any donations of second hand gear would be a big help!

Tim teaching one of the session

Tim checks the hives with the carpenter … he did a fantastic job!

Practical learning about baiting the hive

Hanging the hive in a local forest

A new mama beekeeper greases the wires to keep the ants out

As we were not so far from Malya, we were also able to visit the beekeepers and Mamas there. It was a great opportunity to introduce Bhatendi to them all as she will be working closely with them. We are waiting for the harvest in May … they were able to buy more hives with their profits and we are praying with them for a good honey harvest! It wasn't planned, but the mamas were very keen to get working … so we ended up having quite a balm-making session as well! All good to get some more batches of Moringa Balm and Foot Balm ready to sell! I love these women!

Moringa Balms in the making