Hello!
On Monday morning, Brenda sat on a bench outside the WAMATA offices telling us excitedly about her 1st term at Beekeeping College.
BEEKEEPING COLLEGE????
Yes, the only one in East Africa is in Tabora, Tanzania, and it has been Brenda’s dream since she was a child to be a beekeeper.
She told us about the ordeal each student had to endure, being stung many times to be sure they were not allergic before beginning the training.
She shared information about the medicinal properties of honey learned in the classroom, and the importance of never boiling honey so as to keep the enzymes intact.
With glowing eyes, Brenda explained the life cycle of the bee, the jobs of each type of bee, and how to maintain a healthy hive.
I have to admit, when I learned last year that this was Brenda’s choice for post-secondary training, I was a bit skeptical. But once she told me that she could sell a liter of honey for the equivalent of $20 at the local market, I bought in big-time. Because not only will she be doing what she loves, but will able to support herself beautifully.
I don’t know where it came from, but when Brenda exclaimed, “I LOVE BEES!”, I absolutely believed her.
Carol