Bees for development Journal 117 December 2015
South Sudan’s first exports to the USA include 100% natural honey South Sudan’s first export to the USA is 100% natural Sosu Pure honey and shea butter, and both will soon be making their American debut in natural grocery stores in Texas. This landmark trade is the result of collaboration between South Sudanese beekeeping cooperatives and Texas-based Lone Star – Africa Works. Although the Republic of South Sudan makes headlines as petroleum-rich nation facing war and famine, South Sudanese entrepreneurs and Lone Star – Africa Works are working together to invest in sustainable industries, strong communities, agricultural production and scientific innovation. Ongoing activities include supporting farms to supply
affordable healthy food to local markets, developing a network of weather stations for meteorology and climate change monitoring, as well as organising timber and gold mining cooperatives to attain socially and environmentally sustainable business models. Lone Star – Africa Works and partners call the flagship South Sudan enterprise Sosu Pure – inspired by the country’s spirit, people, and natural diversity. The raw honey is harvested from local style, simple hives, manually strained, then carefully stored by artisan beekeepers living near the River Nile in South Sudan’s Kajo Keji region. An all-women’s cooperative creates the shea butter by cold-pressing oil shea nuts from local trees. Sosu Pure honey and shea butter are 100% natural: created without any use of artificial chemicals on the bees or the surrounding plants. Bees for development are delighted to have been able to offer advice and support to Lone Star – Africa Works since July 2013. Our correspondence, which included guidance on honey quality, the
construction of hives from naturally occuring, locally available materials, and effective honey storage was published in the March 2015 issue of Bees for development Journal.
Lone Star – Africa Works
Lone Star – Africa Works is a non-profit organisation based in Austin, Texas which works with communities in African countries to improve access to markets, investment, technology, vocational skills and humanitarian support. For more information about Sosu Pure Honey and Lone Star – Africa Works visit www.sosupure.com and www.lonestarafrica.com
Lone Star – Africa Works Managing Director, Christopher Douglas writes: “Despite the continuing violence in South Sudan, our partnercooperative continues to harvest and store honey. They are in negotiations with a few regional buyers. Meanwhile they have been investing the money from their first USA honey sale into a new farm, including the rental of a tractor.”
US quilters fundraise for Bfd’s work in Ethiopia Dr. Diana Sammataro, Hope Johnson and their respective quilting guilds have partnered to create a magnificent community quilt to raise funds for food security, biodiversity, and increased standard of living, using the example set by the industrious honey bee. Members of the Champlain Valley Quilter’s Guild from Vermont and the Tucson Quilters Guild from Arizona contributed to the intricate and colourful Sunflower Quilt (pictured left) which made its debut at the Eastern Apicultural Society Conference held in Guelph, Ontario in August this year. Ms. Johnson designed the pattern, pieced the top, appliquéd the central bee medallion and quilted the quilt with numerous individual Guild members contributing the applique blocks depicting sunflowers. The finished quilt was purchased by a beekeeping couple from Rhode Island with proceeds from the sale being donated to Bees for development. In total, Rhode Island beekeepers made a donation of $2,700 to support Bees for development Ethiopia’s beekeeping projects and rural development initiatives.
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