Farming has been my family’s main income for many years. The training from the MaYEA program changed how we look at beekeeping. Now, I am fully focused on beekeeping.
I’m Lubaba Hassen, and I live in Amhara Region, Oromia special zone, Bati woreda, specifically in kuni village Kuni village with my wonderful husband and our five amazing kids. We mainly depend on farming, focusing on growing cereal crops. As my husband’s partner in farming, I helped out with the crops, but honestly, our income was just enough to get by. I hadn’t thought much about other ways to earn money or even consider beekeeping, even though we had the opportunity right on our farm.
We were so focused on our crops that we missed out on the chance to earn some extra income from honey. For years, I mainly depended on my husband for our family's finances. Selling our crops brought in limited money, which made it tough for me to contribute. Four years ago, we decided to try out beekeeping with just one traditional beehive. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage it well. My husband received six modern beehives from the government, but they weren’t properly looked after, and we only ended up with 36 kg of honey. Everything changed when I joined the MaYEA program.
This project supports young people, especially women like me by providing valuable training both practical and theoretical. Through this program, I learned how to manage beekeeping effectively. It transformed my perspective on beekeeping; I began to see it as a real business that could increase my income and give me financial independence. I also discovered that women can truly thrive in beekeeping! This realization opened my eyes to the incredible potential of this field, and I’m genuinely excited about what the future holds.
Selemawit Mebirat's Transformation Through Beekeeping and Farming
Ten years ago, in Eritrea, a dream took place on the outskirts of the Red Sea, where the ideal climate fostered the beginnings of an apiculture journey. This was the humble start of Selemawit Mebirat, who, alongside her husband, dived into beekeeping. Five years later, in 2021, life led them to Ethiopia, where they settled in South Gondar zone, L/Gayent woreda, Yedro kebele 13, Keberomeda near her husband’s family and began to rebuild their passion with five traditional hives with a keen interest in farming and a desire to improve their quality of life.
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ORDA Ethiopia Showcases Achievements at 'Food Security in Action' Event
Addis Ababa, December 13, 2024 - The U.S. Government, through USAID, hosted the "Food Security in Action: Advancing Resilience" event at the Skylight Hotel on December 12-13, 2024. This event gathered important stakeholders, including Ethiopian government ministers, donor country representatives, agencies, and USAID partners to celebrate USAID's contributions to Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) and highlight various achievements and lessons learned.
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December 24, 2024, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia - Alemayehu Wassie (Ph.D.), the Executive Director of ORDA Ethiopia, wished donors and partners a Merry Christmas, hoping it brings peace, health, unity, and solidarity. He thanked donors and partners for their support and expressed commitment to strengthening these partnerships in the future.
ORDA Ethiopia Executive Director Advocates for Localization in Aid Delivery
Bahir Dar, Ethiopia - Alemayehu Wassie (Ph.D.), Executive Director of ORDA Ethiopia, has sent a heartfelt message to funding partners and donors, expressing gratitude for their strong support of vulnerable communities. He also highlighted the inefficiencies in the current aid delivery system due to multiple intermediaries.
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