Building Futures Through Beekeeping: Lessons from the Akesta Cluster of the North and Northwest Subnational Hub of the MaYEA Program
"I used to spend time at the local coffeehouse playing games and chewing khat, which put me in addiction," Kedir Ali Endris, a MaYEA participant, recalls his past lifestyle. Read more
“She doesn’t wait for me—she is the manager.”
This is how Mitiku Mekuriyaw proudly describes his wife, Felegush Aynie Mengist, a 26-year-old woman from Arsa Gembeha Kebele in Banja Woreda.
Felegush is a participant in the MaYEA program, implemented by Bees for Development Ethiopia in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and led by ORDA Ethiopia.
Felegush Aynie at her apiary site, Banja Woreda, Arsa Gembeha Kebele, April 17, 2026
From Unemployment to Entrepreneurship
Aweke Sileshi, a 27‑year‑old father of three from Kotu Kebele, has turned struggle into opportunity. Once discouraged and skeptical about poultry farming, he has discovered new hope through the ORDA Ethiopia and UNICEF Denmark project. With training, support, and determination, he has transformed 50 chickens into a thriving business—and inspired others to follow his path. His journey proves that hard work and the right support have created lasting change for his family and community. Grateful to #UNICEF Denmark for the support.
The Road to Transformation: A Success Story of the "Fikre Selam" Village Economic and Social Association (VESA)
Kotu Kebele, located in Angolela Tera Woreda of the North Shewa Zone in the Amhara Region, has become a beacon of transformation. Established through the collaboration of ORDA Ethiopia and UNICEF Denmark, the "Fikre Selam" Village Economic and Social Association (VESA) has opened a new chapter for its members—not only by building their economic capacity but also by revolutionizing their mindsets and health practices.
In Aberensa village, DawaChefa woreda, Amhara Region, Yesuf Abdela and his wife Marifa Siraj faced extreme poverty, food insecurity, and child malnutrition. With no formal education and limited income from daily labor, their large family struggled to survive. But through ORDA Ethiopia and UNICEF’s nutrition-focused goat support project, they received three female goats—now a thriving herd of eleven. Goat milk has dramatically improved their children’s health, especially their youngest, and offered the family a path to sustainable livelihood. Yesuf now dreams of expanding his goat-rearing business and building a better future. .@UNICEF