How a young beekeeper’s initiative brought hope and profit to Sierra Leone communities

How a young beekeeper’s initiative brought hope and profit to Sierra Leone communities

In 2022, little did Aruna Bangura know that observing the changing environment and land use practices around his community would make him start beekeeping. The area just outside Tiwai Island, a protected wildlife sanctuary spread across 1,200 hectares (2,900 acres) in Sierra Leone, had a dearth of bees, he found. “I observed that the bee population was declining, and starting a beekeeping initiative was the only alternative in sight,” says Bangu…

How a young beekeeper’s initiative brought hope and profit to Sierra Leone communities - EnviroLink Network

In 2022, little did Aruna Bangura know that observing the changing environment and land use practices around his community would make him start beekeeping. The area just outside Tiwai Island, a protected wildlife sanctuary spread across 1,200 hectares (2,900 acres) in Sierra Leone, had a dearth of bees, he found. “I observed that the bee population was declining, and starting a beekeeping initiative was the only alternative in sight,” says Bangu…

In the midst of the fast-paced, often technized world, they still exist: the silent heroes of our nature – the bees. Without them, our world would be much poorer, because they are the ones who every day ensure that flowers bloom, trees bear fruit and our ecosystems remain in balance. But these small beings are threatened, and this is where a remarkable youth project begins: "Teens&Bees4Future. My son-in-law Marc Schich – a beekeeper with body an…