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Day 1: The Briefing

The women getting their first glimpses of the beehives at the Day 1 briefing. The women getting their first glimpses of the beehives at the Day 1 briefing.

By April Preston, 2 Sisters Food Group

1 June 2015

April is one of nine senior women from the UK food industry taking part in Farm Africa's Big Beehive Build

Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania……..it’s not often you can say you have been to three countries by 2pm on a Monday afternoon, but that’s exactly what we did. After landing at Kilimanjaro and a long but fascinating bus journey we arrived at the Winners Hotel in Babati at about 8pm.

Although we were all absolutely pooped we perked up when the gin and tonics came out and it was time for the team briefing. This is what we are here for! (the job at hand not the g&ts).

We not only got our first glimpse of the beehives we are to build (lots of tiny nails, complicated structures and taut wires that need to be threaded) but learnt why this is such an important and worthwhile project.

Unsurprisingly we were particularly struck by the ‘female’ angle on the work we are just about to carry out. Culturally women don’t keep bees in this community as traditionally the hives are at the top of trees and women don’t climb trees (apparently!). After we had all leapt on Lawrence the beekeeping officer for implying women couldn’t climb trees, he explained that it wasn’t that they couldn’t, but just that they didn’t due to the nature of their of their attire, they wear skirts not trousers!

The hives we build will be on the ground and as such can be farmed by both men and women alike. We heard of one particularly entrepreneurial lady, Lucia, who we will be visiting today. She was one of the first in this community to keep bees and has made a particular success of it, through hard work and an innovative approach (a lady after my own heart!)

Inspired? Sponsor April here. 

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