Breaking Barriers in Beekeeping: Yerom and Belayneh’s Journey

In the quiet highlands of the Amhara Region, North Wollo Zone, Wadla Woreda, Delenga Kebele, lives a determined 26-year-old woman named W/ro Yerom Dagnachew. A wife, a mother of two, and a small-scale farmer, Yerom has always dreamed of giving her children a better life than her own.

For 12 years, she and her husband, Belayneh Alemu, farmed wheat and teff on their small plot of land given to them by their parents. But the land was not always kind. “Some seasons, the rain didn’t come on time, and when it did, the prices at the market were too low,” Yerom recalls. “No matter how hard we worked, we couldn’t earn enough to feed our family.”

A Modest Beginning

Seven years ago, the couple decided to try something new — beekeeping. They started with six hives, four modern and two traditional. At first, the business was entirely managed by Belayneh. Yerom’s role was limited to assisting her husband, helping to clean the hives, and tending to the bees when needed.

Yerom, left, and Belayneh, right, at their apiary site, Wadla Woreda, Delenga Kebele, October 2025

“In our culture,” she explains, “only men were allowed to handle the hives, while women were expected to assist.”

Without proper knowledge or experience, their early attempts were challenging. “Most of our hives failed,” Yerom says softly. “We didn’t know how to manage the colonies properly.”

A Turning Point: The MaYEA Program

Things began to change in 2024, when the MaYEA Program, implemented by ORDA Ethiopia in the Meket cluster in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, reached her kebele. Yerom still remembers how she felt when she heard about it. “I told myself—this is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for,” she smiles.

Yerom was selected and trained in both technical and life skills, learning about hive management, bee colony splitting, and transferring techniques. She also received guidance on shoat (sheep and goat fattening, post-harvest handling, and transitional hive construction.

“The MaYEA program changed the trend,” Yerom says proudly. “Now, women are taking the lead in beekeeping — and it’s becoming our story to tell.”

The MaYEA officers in the Meket Cluster provided regular monitoring and advice, helping the couple improve the quality of their honey and manage their hives more effectively. Yerom especially recalls one lesson that changed her approach: “I learned to avoid using chemical containers and to store honey only in clean, tightly sealed containers. We used to use any available container — often empty paint cans — but now I understand that those can reduce quality and cause contamination. I’m waiting for proper honey containers to reach our market.”

 The honey harvest of Yerom and Belayneh in June 2025

Shared Growth and Partnership

Belayneh also benefited from the program. “I was selected and trained as a colony multiplier and mentor in September 2025,” he explains. “The training taught me how to multiply colonies — a new skill for me. I now help young people in my kebele who want to start beekeeping. If they take it seriously, it’s a profitable business that doesn’t require heavy labor, but it does require care.”

He has also learned how to build transitional hives, and one model, made from industrial wood, caught his attention. “I really admired it,” he says. “For the 2026 beekeeping season, I plan to buy up to 15 of them, investing whatever it costs from my honey sales.”

Thriving Through Knowledge

Today, Yerom and Belayneh’s joint effort has become a thriving family business. Yerom now owns 14 modern hives, 5 traditional hives, and 2 transitional hives. In just two beekeeping seasons—the December 2024 and June 2025 seasons—they harvested 130 kilograms of honey, selling 70 kilograms for over 64,000 birr. and looking for a market for the remaining 60 kg of unsold honey harvested in June. She says the honey market is tough, and they sell honey through connections who have tried their honey’s quality for the hive produces high-quality white honey from Mintese, Becium grandiflorum Wanza, Cardia Africana, and Kesie plant.

“In good seasons, each modern hive produces up to 18–20 kilograms of honey,” she explains. “Even when the season isn’t favorable, we still get around 10–12 kilograms per hive.”

Encouraged by this success, the couple plans to establish a large-scale beekeeping center and a bee colony supply station to support other local farmers.

A Source of Inspiration

Their journey has already inspired young women. “When they see my progress, they say, ‘If Yerom can do it, so can we,’” she says with pride.

With financial stability, Yerom can now send her children to school and give more back to her community. “Before, I used to worry every day about tomorrow,” she reflects. “Now, I wake up with hope. The bees changed my life.”

Together, Yerom and Belayneh stand as a powerful example of resilience, teamwork, and transformation — breaking cultural barriers and proving that when women and men learn and grow together, communities thrive.

The MaYEA program is implemented by ORDA Ethiopia, icipe, and IIRR in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.