In Maasai culture, men hold a monopoly on decision-making, while women face barriers to owning land or earning an income. But high up in the trees of Tanzania are beehives that produce more than just honey – they generate independence. Through the Women’s Beekeeping Initiative, Maasai women are conserving their environment and becoming financially empowered.
The project is run by African People & Wildlife, a conservation and community development organisation. Conservation Enterprise and Marketing Officer Catherine Nchimbi works closely with the beekeeping programme. “Without bees there is no life on Earth,” she says. “When we help them, we help the human race survive.” The initiative is providing support to over 1 000 women who are trained to assemble the hives and harvest honey. Members are funded to start their own businesses, and in return they do further conservation work. Among beekeeping, some women plant trees while others clean up litter.
With the distribution of hundreds of beehives, women are protecting the ecosystem while gaining revenue. Under Tanzanian law, trees which contain beehives cannot be cut down and the region surrounding it cannot be cultivated. Subsequently, these entrepreneurs have managed to protect over 400 000 hectares of land. “With this programme, a lot of the women have testified to not only finally having a voice, but owning assets such as cattle and land,” Nchimbi says. While empowering Maasai women to transcend tradition, beekeeping is inspiring an interrelationship between entrepreneurship and the environment.
Footage by African People & Wildlife and Felipe Rodriguez was used in the creation of this film.
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