The First Steps

When Christine Ryumugabe Kamanzi was growing up, she never imagined becoming a beekeeper. Like many who are unfamiliar with bees, she was afraid of them. When a swarm took refuge in her home, her family called for it to be sprayed and killed. 

This, however, was to be the start of Christine’s beekeeping journey. After hearing what had happened, a local beekeeper advised Christine’s family to safely remove any future swarms. Just three weeks later, another swarm arrived, and this time, they knew to call. 

When the beekeeper came to collect the bees, Christine began asking questions, eager to learn about the insects she had feared. By the end of that day, she was hooked – she had purchased her first ever beehives and what would be the first step of becoming a beekeeper. Today, Christine leads Jireh Women Beekeepers in Kisoro District, South Western Uganda and manages twenty-four colonies that include traditional basket hives, log hives and Kenyan top bar hives. 

The Jireh Women Beekeepers Group - the group uses traditional basket hives

From Trainee to Trainer 

A key moment came in the second year of Christine’s beekeeping journey, when she traveled to Kasese to receive comprehensive training from Bees Abroad. The training gave her the practical knowledge and confidence to manage her colonies effectively, laying the foundation for her role today as a beekeeping leader and trainer. 

Since 2018, Christine has trained approximately 350 beekeepers. She says she is always impressed and humbled whenever people approach her wanting to learn about bees. 

Christine’s experience has also taught her the value of patience: learning to work with and accept what the bees and nature provide is embedded in her approach. 

“Sometimes I have baited my bee hives well, done everything that is expected of me but I haven’t had many bee hives colonised. Other times I have had bee hives colonised but not received good honey production. It takes patience to keep going.” 

Being aware of all the problems that Ugandan beekeepers can face, like pests and deforestation, as well as a lack of equipment and management training that can lead to problems which resonate with the start of her own journey: “Untrained beekeepers fear bees and one single mistake can make them even burn bee hives.”  

She considers the Jireh and Biringo Women Beekeepers to be very fortunate in their support from Bees Abroad, who enabled the purchase of bee hives as well as bee suits, gloves, gumboots, buckets, smokers, hive tools – and crucial skills training.

Instruction for the Biringo Women Beekeeping Group

The Business of Beekeeping 

Christine’s work has expanded beyond producing honey from her own colonies. She now buys raw honey from other local beekeepers, processes it to add value, and sells the finished product. She has also developed other products, including harvesting propolis, creating beeswax candles and jelly. 

This entrepreneurial side of beekeeping has shown her the opportunities available to potential beekeepers in her area. Income from honey and other bee products can help families pay for education, healthcare and housing, while creating work for others, from people helping in apiaries to honey processors and beehive makers. 

Jireh Women Beekeepers Group - Candle Making Class

Protecting Pollination 

Christine’s lessons extend beyond the apiary. Although she already loved trees and the natural environment, beekeeping has deepened her commitment to conservation. Now, she plants something every day to support the bees. 

“In my community, some farmers do not know the importance of beekeeping in agriculture but their crops grow because of the pollination done by bees… Beekeeping promotes environmental conservation. Every beekeeper plants different trees for bee forage and these trees don’t only provide forage for bees but promote environmental conservation for the entire population.” 

Christine worries that pesticide use, deforestation and changing weather patterns are making it harder for bees to thrive. As familiar sources of forage disappear, beekeepers increasingly need to plant flowers and trees to sustain their colonies. 

For Christine, protecting bees means helping others understand how closely their livelihoods are connected to the health of the environment. 

Recognition of a Journey 

The progress Christine has made since those first encounters with swarms at her family home was reflected when her District Environment Office offered her 13 Kenyan top bar hives in recognition of her work in the community. 

She did not know the officials personally, making the gesture even more meaningful. For Christine, it was a sign that her work had gained recognition beyond the beekeeping community she had helped to build. 

She has gone from fearing bees to caring for dozens of colonies, developing a business around their products and helping hundreds of others learn the skills she once had to acquire herself. Along the way, she has found a livelihood and a way to support other beekeepers and advocate for the environment. 

“I enjoy talking about bees. I enjoy telling people about the importance of bees to our lives. I enjoy bragging about the beauty of bees and beekeeping.” 

You can help more beekeepers like Christine develop their skills, grow their businesses and support their communities. This year’s Big Give campaign will fund projects in Kenya and Uganda, helping local communities build sustainable livelihoods while protecting the environments they depend on. Find out how you can support our campaign and help make this work possible.