The Youngest Master Basket Weavers of Abotanso

Prince Dzinyakpor and Japheth Tseganu are pupils of Abotanso R/C Primary School in Donkorkrom, Kwahu Afram Plains in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Prince is 15 years old and in Basic 6. Japheth, 13 and in Basic 4.

These youngsters earn income from weaving and selling baskets made from palm fronds. Every weekly market day (Thursdays), Prince and Japheth earn an average of GHȻ100.00 (about £5.00) selling baskets in the Donkorkrom market.

Prince and Japheth holding a basket

Baskets are very important in the day-to-day lives of rural farmers, especially women. They are commonly used for holding, transporting and selling farm produce. Prince and Japheth buy books, pens, pencils, mathematical sets and food with the money they make from the sales of baskets.

During the training of the new Buzz Club teachers, Dr Aidoo, the workshop facilitator invited the pupils as skilled practitioners to support the session on basket hive making.

To our amazement, these students mentioned that they would soon be earning extra income from making basket hives to keep bees and harvest honey. These pupils will soon become members of the Abotanso R/C Primary School Buzz Club, one of the five new clubs that will be established by Bees for Development Ghana in the Donkorkrom area. The youngsters are excited to be part of the Buzz Club in their school because they will learn about bees and their importance in improving pollination and livelihoods.

Prince and Japheth are teaching the new group of Buzz Club teachers how to prepare palm fronds for weaving the basket beehive

Japheth and Prince are weaving a basket hive

There are currently ten Buzz Clubs with over 200 students enrolled in Donkorkrom, Afram Plains. We’re excited to announce we are raising funds to add five new Buzz Clubs.

We are aiming to raise £10,000 to:

🐝 Establish five new school apiaries

🐝 Teach 100 new students beekeeping skills

🐝 Train teachers in the Buzz Club curriculum

🐝 Employ a Buzz Club coordinator to provide ongoing support

Please donate now to help us get these Buzz Clubs buzzing!

Prince and Japheth with their newly woven basket hive