Dear friends

We are delighted to introduce Dr Kwame Aidoo who has been working with us at our offices in Monmouth as Commonwealth Professional Fellow.

At home in Ghana, Kwame is Project Manager of the GEP/UNEP/ FAO Global Pollination Project at the University of Cape Coast, and he is a long term partner of Bees for development.

Kwame has been busy since he arrived in the UK in June. His first duty was creating the Ghana stand at our Bee Garden Party held in the pollinator-friendly gardens of London’s Marlborough House on 1 July.

Kwame has also worked with us on this edition of the Journal and lectured on our recent courses.

The primary reason for Kwame’s visit is to finalise plans for establishing a new Centre of Excellence, Bees for development Ghana.

Nicola Bradbear Director, Bees for development

Ghanaian children buzz their way to university

Kwame Aidoo examines bee-pollinated blueberries as he visits fruit farms in Herefordshire

Photo © Bfd

In Ghana primary school education is free. However continuing in education after the age of 12 can cost up to 60% of many parents’ annual income resulting in children from lower-income families frequently starting work before their 13th birthday and so missing out on the opportunites offered by secondary school and university.

Kwame’s latest exciting initiative in Ghana is a collaboration with Stroud Beekeepers Association’s Buzzclub in the UK which will empower more young Ghanaians to access secondary and university education than at present.

Buzzclub Ghana will run the project which will organise 8–12 year old primary school children to learn about bees, beekeeping and the environment. The children will be supported by their teachers and parents to manage 5 sponsored honey bee colonies to raise money to pay for their ongoing education. Proceeds from the sale of the colonies’ produce will be saved into dedicated bank accounts and used solely for paying high school and university fees.

Kwame says:

Buzzclub Ghana will offer more children the opportunity to become well educated, which could make a real difference to the lives of their families and in their communities – some of them might even become skilled beekeepers and teachers who can pass on the skills and experience they gain from the project to future generations.