Overview:
Our partners seek to support impoverished and marginalized rural communities in Zimbabwe through bee-keeping. The project started in Chimanimani in eastern Zimbabwe where a pilot project was established in a rural village. The aim of the project is to alleviate poverty through economically empowering beneficiaries to engage in beekeeping as a sustainable, income-generating activity that will also improve the environment. This project will support some infrastructure, provide training and capacity building for outgrowers, help equip the workshop for growth and scale up beehive set-up for farmers.
Why support this:
This project is with a grassroots partner in Zimbabwe, where unemployment is soaring and subsistence farmers struggle to feed themselves or attract fair prices for what they do sell. Our partners are dedicated to helping the poor and have made great progress since 2016. We like their business mindset and considered approach to finding enduring solutions. We appreciate that they are flexible and willing to continually improve outcomes to build a self-sustainable model from the outset.
Budget:
$23,500 for Year 1. The budget includes the purchase or beehives and honey processing and packaging equipment, together with training for villagers and project management costs.
The Need:
Zimbabwe has faced a myriad of political challenges which has severely affected the economy. This has led to the devaluation of the local currency and high unemployment levels currently estimated at over 85%. Rural farmers have traditionally been dependent on subsistence farming. However, many are struggling to produce enough to feed themselves and for those who have little to sell, they struggle to get a fair market for their produce. COVID-19 has highlighted many weaknesses in Zimbabwe and projects like this are needed more than ever.
Expected Life Change:
