An independent living gained for one woman and her family

Netsanet Liko, from Derbanta Kidane Mihret, Ethiopia, dropped out of school at an early age, as she had to care for her mother. She had little income to support herself and her family.

Starting with just one hive and colony of bees, and with training from our team at Bees for Development Ethiopia, Netsanet is now better able to make a living and manage her own affairs.

Netsanet is now well-established as a beekeeper. She values the independence it brings, and the fact that she and her family benefit from the extra income. Beekeeping isn’t so time-consuming that it prevents people from spending time elsewhere, and Netsanet is looking for other ways to make a living to add to the support that bees provide.

Bees offer a wonderful way to help people in extreme poverty. Bees do not need to be fed: they find their own food and water. Simple hives can be well made from locally available materials, and bees are freely available from nature. Beekeeping is even possible for people with no land of their own. It offers a feasible livelihood option, with good markets for honey and beeswax.

Bees for Development fights chronic poverty by targeting the most disadvantaged groups: single women, young people, families without land or other assets, and people with disabilities. We help people like Netsanet obtain bees, establish apiaries, and develop profitable beekeeping enterprises.