Joyce lives in Erri village in the Nou Forest. Poor soil quality in the area means that she, and hundreds of women like her, are simply not able to grow enough to earn a living. Many families have little choice but to cut and sell forest timber in order to earn some extra income. It is a vicious cycle that is destroying their most precious resource.

It is for this reason that Farm Africa launched a project to help communities like Joyce’s find better ways to earn an income – while protecting their native Nou Forest. The solution? Beekeeping. 

While traditional beehives suspended from the branches of trees already existed in Erri, it is culturally unacceptable for women to climb trees, and this made the business of beekeeping inaccessible to them. So when Farm Africa introduced ‘Langstroth’ hives, which sit on the ground, women were keen to get involved in honey production. 

Our local team made sure that Joyce and other women in Erri were given the technical knowledge and beehives they would need to kick-start their business. And kick-start it they did. Today Joyce’s Erri Jitegemee Beekeeping Group is well known for their ingenuity and creativity. Unlike other local beekeepers, they tend not to sell raw honey. Instead they look for ways to add value by making products like soap and candles.

Business is booming, and Joyce is now able to earn the money she needs to support her family and send her children to school. But the real difference is one you can’t buy.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, Joyce and other women like her have gained the skills and confidence they needed to become economically independent and respected members of their community.

As this Farm Africa project comes to an end, we are proud to leave Joyce and her community knowing that their success – and their precious Nou Forest – are here to stay.

Let's keep on growing

With your support we can continue our life-changing work and give more communities across eastern Africa the chance to change their prospects for good.

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