A group of youth in Kabarole District has turned to beekeeping to address unemployment and to improve their livelihoods.
The youth operate under the Bulhalho Foundation in Nyakitokoli Parish, Karangura Subcounty, Kabarole district.
Bulhalho, meaning bridge in Rukonjo, was founded in 2017 following the 2014 violent ethnic conflicts in the Rwenzori region, which were largely carried out by unemployed youth affiliated with the Rwenzururu Kingdom.
The 2014 series of coordinated attacks that left over 100 people dead was carried out in the districts of Bundibugyo, Kabarole, Kasese, and Ntoroko.
The attacks were a manifestation of deeper historical rivalry between the Batooro, Bakonzo, and Bamba over cultural and political representation in the region.
According to Yonah Masereka Kikora, the founder of Bulhalho Foundation, many of the young people who participated in the clashes had no jobs and were idle, making them easy targets for mobilisation into illegal activities.
To prevent the recurrence of such scenarios, Bulhalho was established as a rehabilitation model aimed at re-mobilising youth, teaching them coexistence, and equipping them with practical skills for survival.
The foundation received support from Bees Abroad, the German Embassy, and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), allowing it to begin training youth in income-generating activities.
Masereka explains that they chose beekeeping because it is lucrative, requires minimal start-up capital, demands little supervision, and can be done alongside other daily activities.
The foundation initially trained 45 youths, most of them former Rwenzururu royal guards who had surrendered to the government. As the project gained recognition, even unemployed youth from the surrounding communities joined the program.
By 2018, honey production from the youth had increased, but they lacked a market. This pushed Bulhalho to establish a honey collection and processing centre to process, package, and sell honey collectively.
Today, the foundation has grown to 512 members organised into 19 beekeeping groups, producing at least 40 tons of honey annually. In addition to honey, they also produce wax, propolis, and manufacture beekeeping equipment such as smokers, bee brushes, hives, and harvesting overalls.
To widen opportunities for young people, the foundation introduced other vocational skills such as carpentry, hairdressing, bricklaying and concrete practice, welding, tailoring, and knitting.
Trainees are assessed and certified by the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT), improving their chances of employment and potential for self-employment.
Masereka says the initiative has changed community mindsets. “People now know they can start something small, with little effort, and still earn from it. Even domestic violence has reduced because families now have income. Women and children own their own beehives and no longer depend entirely on others,” he explains.
Boniface Manyindo, a resident of Kihwera Village in Nyakitokoli Parish, says beekeeping has supplemented his income and enabled him to pay school fees for his children. “I currently have 25 beehives and harvest about 60 kilograms of honey every three months. I sell each kilogram at 10,000 shillings.” He added.
Ronald Nyama says he earns over 400,000 shillings per harvest from his apiary. He has used the income to educate his children and support his siblings.
Nyama encourages youth who did not go far with formal education to embrace practical skills that can help them become self-reliant.
Evas Natukunda says beekeeping has improved her livelihood because it is easy to manage, requires little supervision, and allows her time for other work, such as farming. She encourages women to engage in beekeeping. John Birungi, an elder in Karangura subcounty, believes that the skills acquired keep youth busy and earning, helping to reduce unemployment and school dropouts.
Nicholas Eribankya, a trainer under the program, notes that beekeeping has also boosted crop yields in the area due to increased pollination.
Masereka says the project has expanded beyond Kabarole to districts such as Kasese, Kyenjojo, Ntoroko, Kamwenge, and Kitagwenda.
However, Masereka notes that beekeeping faces challenges like expensive honey-processing machines and high taxes on imported equipment. He adds that the spraying of crops with pesticides, which bees depend on for pollination, affects honey quality and reduces bee populations.
Other obstacles include the hardships of penetrating the market, bush burning, deforestation, and unfavorable policies that penalize beekeepers when bees sting animals or people.
Beekeeping remains one of Uganda’s most underutilized economic opportunities. According to a 2023 report by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda produces 4,000 metric tons of honey annually and has about 1.2 million people engaged in beekeeping.
Meanwhile, Youth unemployment in Uganda remains a major challenge. The 2024 National Population and Housing Census shows that unemployment among young people aged 18–30 is estimated at 16.1%, while 42.6% of those aged 15–24 are not in employment, education, or training.
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