What can fly 15 miles per hour, loves flowers and supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals? It’s the humble honeybee!
What better day to celebrate honeybees and beekeepers than May 20, World Bee Day? Bees play an essential role in sustainable agriculture and beekeeping is a key provider of jobs in rural communities.
Many small-scale farmers would like to raise bees because honey production and the sale of honey provide steady income that feeds families and allows them to send their children to school. Beekeeping projects support U.N. Sustainable Development Goals combating poverty and hunger and promoting productive employment and economic growth. However, the specialized equipment, maintenance and continuing education required for beekeepers are out of reach for most farmers living in rural communities in Honduras.
Partnering for a Bright Future
To promote beekeeping as a viable option for more struggling families, Food For The Poor (FFTP) and CEPUDO, one of FFTP’s longtime partners, started a honeybee project in Honduras called APICOL (La Asociación de Apicultores de Colinas/Colinas Beekeeping Association). The project supplied beekeepers in a community in Honduras with equipment and honeybees from generous donors. These new beekeepers received ongoing mentorship and training through a partnership with Heifer International.
Entrepreneurial Buzz
The support and encouragement that the APICOL beekeepers received gave them the confidence to strike out together and open a modest beekeeping shop where they plan to sell their honey and honey-related products.
Sweet Success
The success of the APICOL beekeepers is exciting. More women and men would like to participate in this honey-production project, and we are looking forward to expanding as we receive more gifts from donors like you! With your support, the partnership with CEPUDO and the technical assistance from Heifer International, more beekeepers will be able to join the association and believe in a successful future for their communities and generations to follow.
Please give a gift today to support projects like APICOL and honor World Bee Day! Your generosity sets a family up for future success that they could not achieve without you.
