La Libertad is a surfer city on the coast of El Salvador. Young people come here to enjoy the sun, sand, and surf. Some kilometres away is a totally different situation — the families are living in poverty and extreme poverty. While the road to La Libertad is excellent, the road in the backwoods is one of the worst we have seen, made even worst by recent heavy rains. It was nearly impassable with so many potholes.
An organization named FECORACEN assists the families to grow their own organic food. With Kenoli support, they organized a beekeeping course for women in five communities. At first the women were very scared of bees and did not want to have anything to do with them. As they learned more, they overcame their fears.
We visited one of the women’s group in the village of Las Mesas. This group was the most successful of the five. From their initial 2 hives that they were given, they now have 28 nestled in the woods.
Some of the bee hives in the woods
They showed us their protective gear in working with the bees and also how they extract the honey.
The women produced 1,000 pounds of honey in their first round and another 600 pounds on their second round, for a total of 1,600 pounds in one year. A phenomenal success!
Their initial fear of bees has transformed into love. Besides providing them with a livelihood, the women know they are protecting the environment, because these tiny creatures are important in pollinating crops.
Unknown to the surfers, enjoying the beach, a few kilometres away are industrious, courageous women helping to save the planet.
Vera Radyo and Ken Phillips