Hebron: women focus of beekeeping project
Bani Naim is located 55 kilometers south of Jerusalem and is home to 10,000 people. The town was always famous for its honey, and the special medicinal value it has.
Beekeeping is usually a profession for men in the Palestinian territories, but the ADP that is interested in improving the status of women in the local community has decided to help women enter this profession to support their families.
Eighty enthusiastic women joined the project. Each one paid US$150 amounting to about US$ 13,000 to which the ADP added US$ 50,000. The money was used to purchase 240 beehives, protective suites and hire an experienced agronomist who has a long experience in establishing beehives.
Beekeeping is usually a profession for men in the Palestinian territories The women were then given a 30-hour theoretical training course after which they started taking care of the beehives under the instruction of 46- year – old agronomist and beekeeper Muhammad Shaladah
Muhammad says that in three months, each woman will earn a net income of US$ 200 that will increase next year to US$ 300 because the bees will multiply and their numbers will double.
For 35-year-old Basmah, the project was a chance to increase her family’s income. She applied for the project and when she was chosen as one of the 80 beneficiaries, she borrowed the US$ 150 dollars to achieve her dream of earning her own money from a business she can run.
She says: “My husband is unemployed and only works for short periods of time as a day labourer. Two of my six children are physically challenged and need medical attention that I cannot afford. It is very hard for me as a mother not to be able to even feed them properly. I hope that now that I have my own business, I will be able to better support them.”
In addition to the family’s need, Basmah was included in the project because she has two children sponsored by World Vision Canada sponsors: Muhammad (9) and his eleven-year-old sister Mays.
Twenty percent of the gross profit will be dedicated to future development so as to allow a particularly high productivity rate during the next few years.
The Italian hybrid bees purchased for the project are well known for their ability to live in areas where there are drastic temperature changes can collect nectar from a variety of plants especially the wild thyme that covers the hills around Bani Naim in the spring.
It is very hard for me as a mother not to be able to even feed them properly. I hope that now that I have my own business, I will be able to better support them The wild thyme gives the Bani Naim honey a special flavour and medicinal values. Although it is about twice as expensive as the Jordan Valley honey, even families in need make sure to buy a couple of jars of honey every year to use them as medicine, especially for influenza and colds.
According to the agreement with the ADP, 30 percent of the bees that will be born next year will be given to a new group of women who will establish their own hives, thus not only ensuring that the programme will be sustainable but will also involve a greater number of beneficiaries.
Beekeeping is usually a profession for men in the Palestinian territories, but the ADP that is interested in improving the status of women in the local community has decided to help women enter this profession to support their families.
Eighty enthusiastic women joined the project. Each one paid US$150 amounting to about US$ 13,000 to which the ADP added US$ 50,000. The money was used to purchase 240 beehives, protective suites and hire an experienced agronomist who has a long experience in establishing beehives.
Beekeeping is usually a profession for men in the Palestinian territories The women were then given a 30-hour theoretical training course after which they started taking care of the beehives under the instruction of 46- year – old agronomist and beekeeper Muhammad Shaladah
Muhammad says that in three months, each woman will earn a net income of US$ 200 that will increase next year to US$ 300 because the bees will multiply and their numbers will double.
For 35-year-old Basmah, the project was a chance to increase her family’s income. She applied for the project and when she was chosen as one of the 80 beneficiaries, she borrowed the US$ 150 dollars to achieve her dream of earning her own money from a business she can run.
She says: “My husband is unemployed and only works for short periods of time as a day labourer. Two of my six children are physically challenged and need medical attention that I cannot afford. It is very hard for me as a mother not to be able to even feed them properly. I hope that now that I have my own business, I will be able to better support them.”
In addition to the family’s need, Basmah was included in the project because she has two children sponsored by World Vision Canada sponsors: Muhammad (9) and his eleven-year-old sister Mays.
Twenty percent of the gross profit will be dedicated to future development so as to allow a particularly high productivity rate during the next few years.
The Italian hybrid bees purchased for the project are well known for their ability to live in areas where there are drastic temperature changes can collect nectar from a variety of plants especially the wild thyme that covers the hills around Bani Naim in the spring.
It is very hard for me as a mother not to be able to even feed them properly. I hope that now that I have my own business, I will be able to better support them The wild thyme gives the Bani Naim honey a special flavour and medicinal values. Although it is about twice as expensive as the Jordan Valley honey, even families in need make sure to buy a couple of jars of honey every year to use them as medicine, especially for influenza and colds.
According to the agreement with the ADP, 30 percent of the bees that will be born next year will be given to a new group of women who will establish their own hives, thus not only ensuring that the programme will be sustainable but will also involve a greater number of beneficiaries.
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