23 Nov 2016

After completing her junior secondary school in 1998, the challenges of life drove 34-year-old Ms Wazha Simon to use every weapon available to her to survive.

Born in Zoroga in the Tutume Sub-district, Ms Simon was certain that a beekeeping business was not a farfetched idea considering the little experience she had from school.

Armed with just basic vegetable production experience, the young woman gained during her school garden days and a short course later, she decided to start a honey bee production business straight away.

And, paring the beekeeping activity with a backyard garden, where she produces mainly grapes and tomatoes, was not a bad idea either, she thought.

“I owe everything to the Poverty Eradication Programme which assisted me in 2009 after visiting the Department of Crop Production for help,” she told BOPA in an interview, adding that she also received training at Francistown Rural Training Centre where she graduated with a basic vegetable production certificate.

“Beekeeping business is full of challenges because bees come and leave depending on seasons and that is why I introduced the gardening part as alternatives for the business to continue,” she said.
From 2009, the year she started her business, she only specialised on honey production until this year when she decided to make use of her other talent of vegetable production to set up a back yard garden.

Upon completion at Francistown Rural Training Centre, she was able to buy her first bee container with the help of the poverty eradication programme; later she bought more containers with the help of 4bees committee and the rest was history.

Despite bees being seasonal, Ms Simon highlighted that the business was good more so that her prices are affordable ranging from as little as P5 and increasing with the quantity one needs.

She added she also had a variety of honey including white and brown flavour in order for her clients to have choice.

She nonetheless noted that honey production was not an easy thing to do, but with her, the little training she got prior to starting and with all the necessary safety equipment, she is getting along.

“It is not that simple to harvest honey, but for me it is easy because I am trained and I have all the safety equipment,” she said proudly.

The beekeeper appreciated the support she receives from the department of veterinary services which has helped her with all the necessary treatments including vaccines, prevention and treatment of bees and even on her backyard.

She added that though bees survived by feeding on flowers during spring season, her mentors have also taught her how to feed them with sugar which she does twice a week to keep them productive.

The only challenge for her is the troublesome insects that eat her domesticated bees inside their container as she does not have a workable solution for the problem.

More importantly, she encourages other youth to stand up on their feet and utilise available government programmes rather than staying with their talents and skills which can change their livelihoods and lives. BOPA