AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Tanzania Forest Service Agency (TFS) has offered 100 beehives, worth 10m /- to Tanzania Deaf Development Agency (TDDA) to support persons with hearing impairment.
Handing over the beehives at the weekend, TFS Lake Zone Beekeeping Officer Chrisman Rugundu said the beehives would benefit over 60 persons with hearing impairment in Biharamulo and Muleba districts of Kagera Region.”Already beneficiaries have been trained to master beekeeping activities. They perform well and are committed to making beekeeping sustainable. They have been also taught the advantages of beekeeping, including honey nutritional benefits,” said Mr Rugundu, adding that:
“Beekeeping has been also making a huge economic contribution, revealing that in 2019/20 at least 15bn/- honey and 18.23 bee wax tonnes were exported through Sirari, Rusumo and Kabanga border stations.
In the local market, he added, a one kilogramme of honey was sold at not less than 10,000/- and the same applied for bee wax.
Representing the district director, Biharamulo District Social Welfare Officer Michael Bugeraha said the beehives would help TDDA to meet their daily needs while also contributing to national income through honey and bee wax businesses.
He made the call to other development partners to support persons with special needs, noting: “The district council sets two per cent of its domestic income to support these vulnerable groups. But we have so many people with special needs, hence, I urge stakeholders, including TFS to extend their support to these people.”
TDDA Chief Executive Officer Kelvin Nyema expressed his gratitude to TFS, assuring sustainability of the project (beekeeping) and make beneficiaries meet their target.
He said already the institution had been communicating with potential honey and bee wax buyers for market sustainability.
One of the project beneficiaries, Ms Angelina Bitama, said apart from economic gains, the project would help them gave a self-employment culture.
