KIT Blog

Did you know that a hive of bees will need to fly over 44,000 kilometres to make 20 kg of honey in a year?

On World Bee Day we remember the incredible contribution these tiny creatures make to our daily lives. From pollinating crops to producing delicious honey, the bee has earned its place in our modern foodie culture. But people have been keeping bees for thousands of years. Today, this is more important than you can imagine.

When Bel, from Nepal, got leprosy, it attacked his body. This gave him physical disabilities, making it hard for him to take care of his family. So he needed a way to earn money without doing all of the work.

“I have very little arable land,” Bel says. “The production is not enough for the whole year. I was having difficulty managing my financial situation.”

Bel was talking about his problems with a friend, who had a suggestion. What if Bel took up beekeeping? It would take him less physical exertion to produce the same value. Bel was inspired!

Bel proposed the business idea to his local cooperative, that he had been encouraged to join. They loved it! They approved his proposal and loaned him money to buy his beehive and bees.

Luckily for us, these efficient little workers produce 2-3 time more honey than they need, so Bel can use that extra to earn an income!

Bel produced over 20kg of honey in that first year! He was able to repay the loan and increase the number of hives. Bee-utiful! Now Bel is producing more than 3 times as much. Since starting his new business, Bel has been able to save 5 times more money each month!  “This business has helped me with household expenses as well as my treatment,” he says.

After seeing Bel’s success, the cooperative wanted to expand this idea to other people. The local government has provided subsidies for the program. Twenty beehives have already been provided!

Now Bel is one of five people enjoying sweet success by supporting themselves with a honey business — and that number can keep growing! All they need is a little help from you — and some bees!

Pray for Bel as he continues to grow his business and provide for his family. Pray for more people to be able to support themselves through beekeeping. Pray that through pollination other farmers affected by leprosy will benefit from these beekeepers.

Give thanks for God’s provision of bees as a support for human life. Pray for improved farming practices, and habitat protection to reverse the decline in bee numbers and diversity. 

Give someone like Bel the opportunity to become to beekeeper!

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