Nabiha Asefa: A Journey of Empowerment Through Beekeeping and Agriculture
We are sharing Nabiha Asefa’s story, a 32-year-old married beekeeper and mother of three children living in the Masha Mekdela wereda, Kibtiya, kebele 03 Abawasu Got.
Nebiha Asefa at her apiary site monitoring the colony, July 20, 2025
My beekeeping journey began about ten years ago when an organization called Ameld approached me. They gave us a modern beehive, protective clothing, and 1,100 birr back in 2015. I took a leap of faith, hoping it might help my family, though I didn’t fully understand the opportunities it would bring.
In my neighborhood, a woman was practicing traditional beekeeping with a hanging hive. I bought a colony for 1,100 birr from her and transferred it into the modern hive I had received from Ameld, also known as ORDA Ethiopia. My very first harvest gave me three gallons, about 15 kilograms of honey. The honey was dark in color but was testy. Over time, the quality
improved, and soon I was producing pure honey. We didn’t sell much in those days, but it was a joy to share our sweet harvest with relatives and neighbors.
Everything changed when the MaYEA program began in 2024. The Woreda agriculture officers nominated me to join as an existing beekeeper, and I started receiving training on hive splitting, feeding, keeping bees healthy, and harvesting techniques. Out of curiosity, I once reached out directly to the program leader for help in improving my hives. They kindly supported me, helping to split two hives. My husband observed closely and learned alongside me.
Even though I never had formal schooling, I realized that my practical beekeeping skills were earning me more than many educated people. I also received training on poultry and vegetable farming and sheep and goat fattening from the MaYEA program officers. At that time, however, my main focus was on hives, as I was fascinated by beekeeping.
After returning home with the new knowledge I gained from Addis Ababa in April 2025—where I attended a MaYEA experience-sharing program organized by icipe—my husband and I decided to rent a hectare of land to grow onions and also planted potatoes.
Getnet Mohammed, Nebiha’s husband at the potato farm
Before this training, my work had been quite limited: I mainly looked after our cow while my husband worked as a barber.
Now things are different. Our onion field is ready for harvest, but we chose to wait a little longer, hoping for better market prices. Since the MaYEA program came to our village, we’ve gained insights that changed both our beekeeping and farming practices. I now own four modern beehives, and just this past July, I harvested about ninety kilograms of high-quality honey in two rounds. A buyer offered 1,000 birr per kilo, but again, we decided to wait, hoping for even better prices.
Nebiha Asefa, with her honey harvest, July 20, 2025
The training I received has truly empowered me—and many other women in our community. I believe that when a woman has her own income, she also gains respect and independence. Today, I no longer need to ask my husband for money. I feel proud that I can cover my own transportation and personal expenses.
I keep my earnings in bank accounts at both Abay Bank and a commercial bank, which helps me manage my money wisely. With the income from my honey sales, I plan to expand by adding four more hives.
Still, I see some women in my kebele who haven’t yet had the chance to join the MaYEA program. I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire them to participate and change their lives too.
Through the beekeeping training I received, I realized something important: even without cattle, relying on honey alone can secure our future. Our bees are thriving, and with a strong colony, we’re expecting another good harvest in October and November. For the first time, I can clearly see a path toward prosperity through my own hard work—and the buzzing of our bees.
Nabiha Asefa pays a visit to her relative in town, bringing some honey, July 20, 2025
The village of Kibtiya, kebele 03, where Nebiha Asefa lives, has now been recognized by the Akesta cluster of the MaYEA program as a future bee colony splitting center—another step forward for the women who will follow her.