Seasons greetings to everyone!
Corstorphine Hill - Winter 2010/11
Since 2008, rather than sending out Christmas cards to In House Herbal’s patients and supporters, I have been purchasing a present from the “Oxfam Unwrapped” selection! This year In House Herbal has purchased training for a beekeeper (code OU5025LH).
Oxfam writes on their website that:
There’s a real buzz about the poverty-busting power of beekeeping. This gift will help by improving bees’ hives and training beekeepers in the latest yield-boosting production methods. They’ll also learn about marketing their produce so they can hive off more honey money
For Wubalem Shiferaw and her family, having no land to farm meant that it was always hard to make ends meet. She, her husband and young daughter have lived off just one small meal a day for a number of years. But the arrival of Oxfam hives, equipment and beekeeping knowhow has changed everything. Harvesting honey has traditionally supplemented the income of small farmers in the Ethiopian region of Amhara. However, the use of traditional, low-yielding hives, means farmers have not been able to reap proper reward for their labour.The old-style bee hives up in the trees, meant bees did not produce large amounts, so the yield people got per beehive was too small. But with the modern hives and techniques, bees are helped to produce more honey and wax.
“The yield we used to get per beehive was only five to eight kilos a year. Using the modern technique we get ten to 15 and sometimes even 20 kilos.”
In addition to helping to train budding beekeepers, Wubalem is a member of the Mecha village Co-operative. This brings together local women beekeepers allowing them to share insights and to begin building a credit union, which is hoped will emulate the success of another local honey marketing organisation which is selling its products across Ethiopia and internationally.
The gift (order number 28451015) can be seen on the Oxfam Unwrapped website. They also have a number of other great gifts, from as little as £5.
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/oxfam-unwrapped
With best wishes for the month’s festivities,
Sarah @ In House Herbal
