30 Persons with Disabilities in Acholi Reap from Apiculture Project
ACHOLI – At least 30 persons with visual and hearing impairments from four districts in Acholi sub region are reaping the benefits of engaging in Apiculture through the BEE-PwD project.
The two years BEE-PwD project, is being implemented by The Uganda National Apiculture Development Organization (TUNADO).
The project worth Shs 370 million is being funded by Bees for Development, a United Kingdom (UK) charity organization.
Abalo Jennifer Oloya, one of the beneficiaries with a visual impairment says, she has 20 bee hives on her family land in For God, Bardege-Layibi division, Gulu city.
“I started beekeeping in 2013 with 5 bee hives. In 2019, with training from TUNADO, I was able to expand to 20 bee hives,” Abalo told theCooperator news during an exclusive interview recently.
“At the beginning, I was harvesting little or no honey because bees would abandon the hives because I had placed the hives in a very cold place which was not suitable for the bees but this is a mistake that I have now corrected with training from TUNADO. I relocated my bee hives and they have all been colonized,” she said.
Abalo who harvested 100 kilograms of honey in January has also ventured into making wine from honey.
“I sell my wine to friends and neighbors at Shs 10,000 per liter,” she said.
Abalo who is a Counsellor with National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) in Gulu says, apiculture is a perfect side source of income for her.
Abalo has given five of the bee hives to her brother so that he feels apart of the project and helps her monitor the hives in her absence.
Francis Okello, another visually impaired Apiculture farmer in Pabbo sub-county, Amuru district has 25 bee hives.
“I am able to monitor the hives myself because of training. I have also learnt how to make candles from the wax. I sell the candles to the community,” Okello said.
The BEE-PwD project which is ending on August 31, 2021 is benefiting 30 people in Gulu, Omoro, Nwoya and Amuru districts in Acholi Sub Region and 20 in Jinja.
Ezekiel Okuga, the Project Officer, BEE-PwD project says that the project was started after complaints from Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) that their projects were not inclusive.
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“We have now developed specific training materials for the PWDs. We have audio recorded training manuals for the blind and posters for the deaf,” he said.
He said they are also extending support to beneficiaries for one more year because of the effects of Coronavirus.
Okuga adds that the project also included guides for the beneficiaries who are most times family members.
Retailers in Gulu sell a kilogram of honey at Shs 20,000 or more depending on its availability while bee farmers usually sell honey at between Shs 7,000- Shs 8,000 to middle men.
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