HOW HONEY HELPED ESMIE TRANSFORM HER FAMILY’S FUTURE

HOW HONEY HELPED ESMIE TRANSFORM HER FAMILY’S FUTURE HOW HONEY HELPED ESMIE TRANSFORM HER FAMILY’S FUTURE In the area of Senior Chief Chapananga in Chikwawa District lives a remarkable woman named Esmie Augustino. Her inspiring journey, from hardship to hope is as sweet and golden as the honey she produces. Back in 2014, Esmie was a single mother struggling to make ends meet. With limited income and growing responsibilities, she constantly searched for a way to support her children without harming the natural environment around her. Realising that she is living near Majete Wildlife Reserve, Esmie saw an opportunity to turn her respect for nature into a sustainable livelihood. Through Honey with Heart Project, implemented at Majete Wildlife Reserve, Esmie received training in beekeeping along with six Langstroth hives and 24 supers. It was a humble beginning but a powerful one. With patience, dedication, and love for her work, Esmie began to care for her bees and harvest honey. Every drop she harvested  and sold brought not just income, but renewed hope. The money from honey sales helped her provide for her family and, importantly, send her children to school. One of Esmie’s greatest joys today is seeing her son, Shadreck Gilbert, living a life she once only dreamed of. The income from beekeeping made it possible for Shadreck to complete his secondary education an opportunity Esmie herself never had. That qualification became the stepping stone for him to apply for ranger training at Majete Wildlife Reserve. Today, Shadreck proudly serves as a ranger, working to protect the same wildlife his mother has always cherished. He patrols the reserve, helps prevent poaching and contributes to conservation efforts that protect Malawi’s natural heritage. “I started beekeeping with only hope and a wish for a better life,” Esmie reflects. “Now I see my children learning, and my son is a ranger. Honey truly changed my life.” Esmie’s story is a powerful reminder that with determination, support and sustainable choices, lives can be transformed. She has not only uplifted her own family but has become a beacon of inspiration for her community. She has proved that success is possible when hope meets hard work.

CHILENGEDWE COOPERATIVE LEADERSHIP MEET HWH OFFICIAL

CHILENGEDWE COOPERATIVE LEADERSHIP MEET HWH OFFICIAL CHILENGEDWE COOPERATIVE LEADERSHIP MEET HWH OFFICIAL. Excitement and joy were all over the faces of the leaders of Chilengedwe Cooperative, a brainchild of Honey with Heart under Liwonde National Park when they met their HWH visitor. The Cooperative leaders waited at the Namwera Honey House to welcome and interact with him. It was a very joyful occasion to the leaders, seeing a HWH Official who has transformed Beekeeping Clubs in Mangochi into a fully-fledged Cooperative. Abuba Yahaya, the Cooperative Secretary General, welcomed the visitor and made several statements. Among them, thanked HWH for the overwhelming support to the Beekeepers in Mangochi and Machinga Districts. He also hailed the hardworking spirit of both HWH and AP Staff. “We thank Honey with Heart for the overwhelming support to Clubs that have since graduated into a Cooperative”, explained Abuba, “without your support, we could not have been as organized as we are. We thank you Sir, and may God continue to bless you’’, continued Abuba. “On top of that, HWH also has very hardworking staff, who are always available when we need them. We want to assure you that you have a very committed team in HWH”, conclude Abuba. On his part, Brighton Mussa, the Chairperson of the Cooperative explained how HWH has supported them to qualify to be a functioning Cooperative. The HWH Coordinator Clement Mnandi did a great job to facilitate trainings for the Cooperative members. He linked us with the Ministry of Trade Officials and after fulfilling all the requirements, got the Certificate. It was a hectic process, but we finally achieved it, with your great support,’’ concluded Brighton. The HWH Official, when given his time to speak, commended the Cooperative leadership for the achievement. He encouraged them to continue working hard to achieve their life dreams. He also assured the leaders of his continued support to transform more lives. ‘’Please continue working hard to achieve your dreams. I will also continue to support you in Beekeeping and even expand to other interventions in future’’, concluded the Official.

YOUTH IN MANGOCHI URGED TO PARTICIPATE IN BEEKEEPING

YOUTH IN MANGOCHI URGED TO PARTICIPATE IN BEEKEEPING YOUTH IN MANGOCHI URGED TO PARTICIPATE IN BEEKEEPING. Beekeepers around Mangochi Forest Reserve were on 19th November visited by Honey with Heart Official. It was a joyous occasion for both the visitor and the Beekeepers. Excitement and joy were the order of the day. During the visitor’s interaction with Beekeepers, one clear message that attracted the attention of the Beekeepers was his call for more youths to be part of this project. “When some members get old, the youths will continue with Beekeeping, making Beekeeping sustainable in your area”, explained the Official. This message was a wake-up call to the Beekeepers as well as the coordinator of the project. So far, the project has 3 Youth Beekeeping clubs, and the visitor’s call motivated us to do more on youth participation in the project. Figure 1 Beekeepers of Namawerenga Beekeeping Club also had a chance to interact with the HWH Official. Figure 2 Mphatso Banda, an AP Community Development Assistant also had a fair share of the interaction with the Visitor. “His message was very clear and straight forward. Apart from his commitment to continue supporting this project, he has urged our children and all youths to also participate in this project: to pass the baton. This will help in sustaining the Beekeeping in our area. As we grow old, these youths will take over”, explained Bito Alisa, one of the Beekeepers from Namawerenga Beekeeping Club in Mangochi District. Another excited Beekeeper, Patuma Taimu was full of praises for the HWH Official, explaining to him how HwH support has transformed her life and her family. ‘’My family was very poor. I could not afford to feed my children all year round, let alone paying them school fees. But with the coming in of Honey with Heart, we can do Beekeeping, sell honey and feed our families through such proceeds. We can pay school fees for our children, something we could not afford before. We are very thankful to you Sir, and HWH as a whole,’’ concluded Patuma Taimu.

HWH OFFICIAL VISITS LIWONDE AMID HUGE EXCITEMENT BY BEEKEEPERS

HWH OFFICIAL VISITS LIWONDE AMID HUGE EXCITEMENT BY BEEKEEPERS HWH OFFICIAL VISITS LIWONDE AMID HUGE EXCITEMENT BY BEEKEEPERS. Machinga and Mangochi Beekeepers under Liwonde National Park and Mangochi Forest Reserve were very excited to meet the HwH Official who travelled all the way from oversees to see them. It was on 19th November 2025 when he came to Liwonde National Park. He spared some time to visit Beekeepers around the 2 entities to appreciate their activities in Beekeeping. It was a joyous day for the Beekeepers, seeing the HwH Official for the first time in their lives. He visited 4 Beekeeping Clubs in the day and the common message from them all was to thank for all the support which HwH is giving them through Beekeeping. “We receive Hives, Bee suits, Gloves, Trainings and regular technical advice from HwH. We are very grateful to meet you in person today”, said Paul Chitsulo, whose Nyama Club of Machinga District was visited. The GVH Nyama, the chief of the area, was also full of praises to the HwH for the wonderful support they receive from them. Figure 1 Beekeepers of Nombo Beekeeping Club in Mangochi danced in excitement for their beloved HwH Official. Figure 2 Paul Chitsulo of Nyama Beekeeping Club made a presentation to HWH during the Official’s visit. In Mangochi, Yusuf Siginala, now a proud owner of 40 Hives procured through Honey sales prayed for the visitor for long life. “We conserve the Mangochi Forest and do Beekeeping. We believe, no bees can live in our area without trees. We enjoy the relationship between Bees and the environment. Thank you, for supporting us in this Project’’, concluded Siginala in his speech. For the HwH Official, it was also a milestone, visiting the Beekeepers. The common take home message to the Beekeepers was to encourage them to work hard to uplift their livelihoods through Beekeeping. He assured the Beekeepers of continued support from Honey with Heart. All in all, the day was full of excitements for Machinga and Mangochi Beekeepers.

A HIVE A DAY FOR 365 DAYS

A HIVE A DAY FOR 365 DAYS LIWONDE RECEIVES 365 HIVES UNDER ‘A HIVE A DAY FOR 365 DAYS’ PROGRAM FROM HONEY WITH HEARTS In May 2025, there came a program that was dubbed “A hive a day for 365 days”. Under this program Honey with Heart to donated 365 hives to each of the 3 parks of Nkhotakota, Liwonde and Majete. Total hives donated to Malawi Beekeepers through the 3 Parks was 1095. Figure 1 Liwonde received its share of the 365 Hives under the ”A hive s day for 365 days” Program. Figure 2 Top quality Langstroth Hives donated by Honey with Heart for Liwonde National Park and Mangochi Forest Reserve. As the supplier is busy producing these hives, Liwonde is excited to report that it has received its 365 hives allocation. Free delivery of the hives to the park was done in the month of September. As this story was being compiled in mid-October, all the 365 Hives had been installed in the targeted Apiaries. With this development, it is anticipated that honey production will increase by at least 30-40% this coming season and more in the subsequent seasons. “As Honey with Heart Liwonde, we are very excited to have these hives at one goal. Our honey output will go up due to these additional hives. This will help us achieve our targets from next season going forward”, said Henry Kapito, a HwH Hive Technician when receiving the hives. Figure 3 Clement, the HWH Officer had a busy week installing the hives as soon as they arrived in Liwonde. Figure 4 Hive installation was completed as this story was being compiled. Habiba Kundando, who was among the beneficiaries of the consignment was also very grateful and had this to say after her club got its share, “We are very grateful to HwH for giving us these hives. We are making huge progress economically through Beekeeping and these additional hives will increase our income among our households. We thank HwH for this gesture,” concluded Habiba. All in all, it is apparent that the injection of 365 hives into Liwonde and Mangochi Forest Reserve communities will have a very positive economic impact to household livelihoods. With these additional 365 hives, Liwonde Honey Production is also expected to increase.

BEEKEEPERS GRADUATE INTO A COOPERATIVE

BEEKEEPERS GRADUATE INTO A COOPERATIVE MANGOCHI HONEY WITH HEART BEEKEEPERS GRADUATE INTO A COOPERATIVE Beekeepers around Mangochi Forest Reserve which is under African Parks continue to grow for the betterment of their lives. Different Beekeeping clubs under the mentorship of Honey with Heart came together to form an association that has now graduated into a cooperative. A total of 30 Beekeepers who represented the clubs, underwent 2 phases of training as a policy requirement of the Ministry of Trade for them to qualify as a Cooperative. They underwent the first training in May 2025 and the second and final one in September 2025. Figure 1 The Beekeepers posed for a photo during the training that was held at the Namwera Honey House. Figure 2 Women Beekeepers led in the dancing as the group finally graduated into a fully-fledged Cooperative. As this story was being compiled the Cooperative which has since been christened “Chilengedwe Honey Cooperative Ltd” has been approved by the Ministry of Trade and the Government of Malawi. As a matter of interest, the name “Chilengedwe” is a Chichewa word that literally means “nature”. The government of Malawi through the Ministry of Trade has promised to grant a certificate to Chilengedwe Cooperative within 30 days from the day of application. Why form a Cooperative; This has been the question which some of the members of the Cooperative had been asking before they attended the trainings. Some thought this would only be a waste of money through buying shares, while others thought this may be outright waste of time. However, with the training they received, all the doubts were parried away. It also happened that those who were doubting were the ones who were in the forefront wooing other members to join the Cooperative. And the major factor that convinced members to join the cooperative was to grow economically as a group other than individually. They also learnt that overdependence to organisations would reduce as the cooperative would strive to make money through Beekeeping with the already available resources. The Cooperative would be able to increase Beekeeping Equipment and honey production which would be sold to Honey with Heart. Figure 3 Felix Ndege, an Official from the Ministry of Trade Headquarters in Lilongwe led in the facilitation of the training. Figure 4 Another Trade Officer from the Ministry of Trade, Janet Mtengezo was the key facilitator of the training. Mr Brighton Mussa is the chairperson of the Cooperative and said this when asked after the final training, “we have just concluded the final training, we will now wait for the certificate within the next 30 days. We are very excited that we are now a fully-fledged Cooperative”. Rabecca Chiwanda, Vice Secretary of the Cooperative was also on cloud 9 after finishing the trainings. “We have been hearing about a Cooperative, but now we a Cooperative ourselves. We thank Honey with Heart and its Coordinator for facilitating this whole process”. Said Rabecca. “Honey with Heart has been on our side all these 6 years and continue to do so. We are very grateful to Honey with Heart and African Parks’’, concluded Rabecca Chiwanda.

EXCITEMENT AFTER PURCHASE PRICE ADJUSTMENT

OVERTAKE IN TOP BAR HIVES HONEY PURCHASE PRICE ADJUSTMENT EXCITES BEEKEEPERS IN LIWONDE As the honey harvesting season started in April 2025, Beekeepers were ready to make money through honey sales. As usual, Beekeepers were eager to know the purchase prices, which they were given. Being Beekeepers contracted to HwH; they started selling the honey at the laid down price. Figure 1 Women of Nombo Beekeeping Club of Nombo Village in Mangochi District dancing and celebrating the 26% price adjustment after selling their honey to Honey with Heart. Figure 2 The Club Secretary of Nombo Beekeeping Club, Joice Saizi showing off money realized from Honey sales, with Chairperson, . Samson Liya helping in counting. However, on 10th June 2025, Beekeepers were told about the major rise in the Honey Purchase Price by Honey with Heart. This price adjustment excited most Beekeepers. They even confessed that HwH indeed aims at uplifting their lives. “Imagine this rise, when they gave us these hives for free. This HwH really came to uplift our lives. And that objective is really being achieved,” said one Joice Saizi, secretary for Nombo Beekeeping Club in Mangochi District. “There is a big improvement in income generated now, as compared to the old price. This is very good for our livelihood. We hope next time, they will do even more, as the cost of living also continues to go up”, narrated another Beekeeper, Samson Liya. In general, HwH has done very well in adjusting the Honey Purchase Price. This has reduced pressure which these Beekeepers were facing from vendors.

OVERTAKE IN TOP BAR HIVES

LANGSTROTH HIVES OVERTAKE TOP BAR HIVES IN HONEY PRODUCTION Langstroth Hives have in the first 3 years of the Project been criticised by communities around Liwonde National Park and Mangochi Forest Reserve as being less profitable as compared to Top Bar Hives. Langstroth Hives are a new dimension of Hives, dominantly known for its best quality honey. It is for this quality advantage that swayed Honey with Heart to promote this type of hive, the Langstroth Hive. During the first 3 years of introducing the Langstroth Hives, communities were very reluctant to adopt it, sighting late colonisation and low honey production as the main reasons. However, HwH through its Coordinator and AP Extension Assistants kept on encouraging the Beekeepers to exercise patience as together they pushed on. Today, 6 years down the line, it is apparent that these communities are producing more honey in Langstroth Hives than in Top Bar Hives. This trend started appearing in the past 2 years, when Langstroth Hives started producing more honey than before. Technically it was observed that with intensive trainings which these Beekeepers have been receiving, coupled with the acquired experience, Langstroth Hives have become a preference to our Beekeepers. As this story was being compiled, honey production for Langstroth Honey was at 3 tons while that of Top Bar Hives was at 1 ton. Figure 1 Part of the honey from Langstroth Hives delivered to Majete Wildlife Reserve for Cold Chain sales. Figure 2 Honey from Langstroth Hives reigning supreme in Liwonde unlike all the previous years where honey from Top Bar Hives was reigning supreme. Asked to comment on the performance of Langstroth Hives, Mthyola Phiri, a Beekeeper of Ndengu Beekeeping Club, in TA Jalasi, Mangochi District said, “Initially we thought Langstroth Hives are a waste of time. We preferred Top Bar Hives. But with trainings we have been receiving from HwH, and the experience, we have discovered, these hives are much better in terms of production as well as quality of the honey’. I thank Honey with Heart for introducing this type of Hives in our area’’, concluded Mthyola.

BREAKING RECORDS

SIGINALA CONTINUES TO BREAK HONEY PRODUCTION RECORDS Honey with heart in Liwonde continues to uplift lives of the communities economically. Through the promotion of Beekeeping to communities around Liwonde National Park and Mangochi Forest Reserve, Beekeepers continue to increase honey production which they sell to Honey with Heart at competitive prices, thereby increasing income and improving livelihood. Yusuf Signala, a prominent Beekeeper courtesy of Honey with Heart has once again emerged the highest Honey Producer across the 2 entities of Liwonde National Park and Mangochi Forest Reserve. Siginala, 47, a family man with 5 children has already sold 613kgs and realised a whooping MK2,942,000.00. As this story was being compiled, Yusuf had not yet wound up harvesting all his hives. Last year, he only harvested 291kgs and realised M1,128,600. He was also the highest. This means, this far, he has already doubled his honey production. And by the end of the year, he anticipates trebling the production. Figure 1 Yusuf Siginala sitting on a motorcycle he bought through his Beekeeping Enterprise. He is from Mmenyanga Village in Mangochi District. Figure 2 Siginala pictured at some of the Langstroth Hives which he benefitted from Honey with Heart and claims to have transformed his life. Asked to explain about his success, Siginala had this to say; ‘’Firstly it’s the love I have for both Beekeeping and Environmental Conservation. African Parks and Honey with Heart have collaborated well for the past 6 years and inspired me to love Beekeeping. Through proceeds from honey sales in the past 3 years, I have increased my hives. I now have 32hives from the initial 15 hives which we benefitted from Honey with Heart in our Beekeeping Club. I pray for this HwH Project to stay long in our area, so that we continue to produce and sell our honey to them,’’ narrated Signala. With Honey with Heart, Signala sees a bright future in his Beekeeping Enterprise. His family continues to develop economically and has become a mentor to other surrounding upcoming Beekeepers.

OUT OF POVERTY

BEEKEEPING PROJECT TRANSFORMS JAILOSI OUT OF POVERTY HwH/AP BEEKEEPING PROJECT TRANSFORMS JAILOSI OUT OF POVERTY Namidiya Jailosi is a middle-aged man. He comes from Makawa village, T/A Nsanama in Machinga District. Jailosi was instrumental in the formation of Makawa Beekeeping Club in 2018, under African Parks. Makawa Club was one of the clubs in Machinga District that benefited from the Langstroth Hives from Honey with Heart under Liwonde National Park. Jailosi through this club, demonstrated his Beekeeping and Leadership skills such that this club became the most outstanding in their area. The Beekeeping Training which Jailosi and other members were given, played a very big role in transforming lives of the club members including Jailosi. Namidiya Jailosi posing a picture with his old house before building a better one for better livelihood. Namidiya Jailosi at his newly built house courtesy of AP Interventions that includes HwH Beekeeping Project. 4 years down the line, Jailos’ life has changed. He has bought land of his own, where part of it is allocated for Beekeeping. He has built a better house through proceeds from honey sales. He is able to send his children to school without looking for bursaries for them. He is also able to diversify at this household, such that he is able to grow different crops as well as raise livestock like goats and chickens. Another interesting thing with Jailosi is that having interacted with AP staff for 5 years now, he has developed very high interest in environmental conservation. He is able to manage trees around his home, as well as being instrumental in influencing people in his area to take part in managing Liwonde National Park. When Jailosi was visited to narrate his side of the story, he had this to say, “Initially I was very blank on Environmental Conservation until AP came in with this Beekeeping Project in my area. With time, the Beekeeping Project gave us income through honey sales while we conserve the environment in our area. In the past years, our source of income was the park through poaching and charcoal making, but now, our income comes from honey sales and other interventions brought in by African Parks, a very good balance up’’. I am very grateful to our Extension Officers from HwH/AP who are able to advise us the importance of taking part in managing the park, while also imparting us with Beekeeping Management skills. Our lives have not remained the same, we are moving forward’, concluded Jailosi.