Over the course of 15 years in Liberia, Universal Outreach's work with the beekeeping community has gained traction both within the country and beyond. While it took many years of groundwork, the benefits of beekeeping have finally become palpable. Lives have been transformed thanks to the development of the honey industry in Liberia, and countless individuals possess stories of remarkable inspiration.
Peter Yeung published an article entitled 'Liberia’s Beekeepers Harness the Power of Simplicity' in Reasons to be Cheerful . In this article, Yeung goes on to detail how beekeeping has impacted Liberia, along with the story of one of Liberia's beekeepers, Joe Gater.
'Poverty has long been widespread in Liberia, which has struggled to rebuild in the aftermath of debilitating civil wars and a deadly Ebola epidemic. Many rural communities barely scrape by. Agriculture is the main source of income for 60 percent of Liberia’s population, and the average person earns just $1.70 a day.
During the war, Gater was forced to flee his home and live in a forest for months. Even now, there’s no electricity or internet signal in his village. But the 64-year-old has dozens of working hives and says the bees have put his four children through school. “Beekeeping is something that even an old man like me can do,” says Gater, who previously farmed cassava and rice full-time. “It’s changed my life greatly.” '
To read the full article, please visit this link.