Project Background
In 2018, we launched our first Bees for Business project in the small village of Dakoro in southern Burkina Faso. In this region economic opportunities for women were limited with many relying on the seasonal collection of shea nuts to generate income, earning on average £6.40 per month. This was insufficient to meet the needs of their household including paying school fees of their children and providing three meals per day.
This project supported 50 members of the Benkadi de Dakoro Women's Group to establish a beekeeping enterprise, increasing their monthly income to an average of £22 (an increase of 240%). The group are now operating independently and in 2021 self-financed the construction of a honey processing and storeroom to accommodate their rapidly increasing supply of honey.
Project Overview
To further increase the support to this group, through this project we facilitated the installation of a large solar panel, connecting the processing centre to electricity. This enabled the group to operate after sunset when the bees are less active and increase the volume of honey they are able to process. The group have also installed fans in the room to make it a more comfortable operating environment.
Access to electricity has also enabled the group to establish a second income generating activity, the production of fruit juice. The group purchased a fridge powered by the solar panel and are earning on average £7 per day from this activity.
In addition to supporting the honey business, the solar panels are providing electricity to the village of Dakoro for the first time. Twenty households, supporting 318 individuals including 201 children now have access to electricity enabling them to install lights in their homes, charge mobile phones and listen to the radio.
