Previous newsletters
From newsletter no 13 - 'A new Trustee and a new phase for HSLA'
We have recently welcomed a new Trustee, Michael Oxley, to our Board, and last month he travelled to Uganda on an induction visit to see first-hand our work on the ground.
Newsletter No 13 (PDF - 645kb)
From newsletter no 12 - 'Working together, raising the standards'
One of the valid criticisms levelled against non-governmental organisations working in overseas development is the apparent duplication of initiatives. ‘Poverty alleviation’ and ‘income generation’ cover a myriad of approaches which often overlap, particularly in the agricultural sector.
Download Newsletter No 12 (PDF - 405kb)
From newsletter no 10 - 'Developments in Gulu'
In June 2008, 25 farmers and 5 members of staff from a local school attended a week’s comprehensive training in various aspects of bee-keeping in Gulu District, northern Uganda.
Newsletter No 10 (PDF - 736kb)
From newsletter no 9 - 'Transport for Field Officers'
We have just taken delivery of a new motorbike which will be used by our field officers to visit projects and provide ongoing support. March/April is one of the honey flow seasons in Uganda, and with a small manual extractor on the back of the motorbike, Patrick, pictured here, can visit the most remote apiary sites.
Newsletter No 9 (PDF - 2,307kb)
From newsletter no 8 - 'Flooding in Uganda'
Uganda, particularly the north and east, has been badly affected by the recent flooding following heavy rainfall across many parts of Africa. This photograph was taken in June on the main road from Kampala to Kitgum, and the bridge on which it was taken was swept away in the floods, severing the main link from Kampala to the north. Fortunately, all our project members are safe and the apiaries remain intact, although there was some water logging and honey production is likely to suffer as a result of the extended rains.
From newsletter no 7 - 'News from Northern Uganda'
Our last newsletter featured plans to equip the Kitgum Lady Beekeepers group in Northern Uganda. Pictured here is Margaret Ogaba and members of the group with one of the 75 hives that have now been sited. You will note that Margaret’s group has embraced diversity and now admits male members!
From newsletter no 6 - 'Hive Action is Launched'
Sugar Puffs, with the help of the Honey Monster, has joined forces with Hives Save Lives to launch Hive Action, a campaign which aims to raise funds for 5,000 hives to be made and distributed in Africa.
The campaign is being supported by the broadcaster and adventurer, Ben Fogle, and Atomic Kitten Liz McClarnon.
From newsletter no 5 - 'Sponsors needed'
In western Uganda, the Kabarole Beekeepers’ Association has painstakingly compiled a floral directory of over 80 species of plants in their area.Each pressed flower is accompanied by a description of the role that it plays as a nectar or pollen source for bees.
Over 3 years of study has gone into the records, which we would like to preserve by creating an electronic copy.
From newsletter no 4 - 'Uganda Breweries Ltd Supports HSLA'
HSLA recently received a generous donation from Uganda Breweries Ltd, which was particularly significant for us as it demonstrated support from the private sector in Uganda itself.
The photograph shows our manager, Brian Mugisha,explaining the finer points of an extractor to Brenda Mbathi, the External Affairs and Communications Director.
From newsletter No 3 - 'Our man in Uganda'
Meet our new member of staff, Brian Mugisha,who is now our Programme Manager overseeing operations in Uganda. Brian (standing on the left) is pictured here discussing a catcher box which has been designed and made by one of our latest projects, the Beekeepers Administrators Group. This group has been gaining a reputation as the 'bee busters' of Luwero district, catching swarms of bees at the request of local communities. With our support, it is now expanding its activities into honey production.
From newsletter No 2 - 'News from Uganda'
Our latest project is the Matheniko Conservation project on Mount Moroto in the Karomoja region, eastern Uganda. Mount Moroto is a forest reserve protecting a range of habitats from arid acacia savannah to dry montane forest along the Kenyan border. Beekeeping has long been practiced in the area using traditional methods and the quality of the honey is renowned throughout Uganda. Until now, the inaccessibility of the region, which took us ten hours to reach from Kampala over boneshaking roads, and a volatile security situation, has precluded development and access to market.
From newsletter No 1 - 'EU Licenses Ugandan Honey for Import'
The Uganda National Apiculture Development Organisation (TUNADO) recently announced that Ugandan honey had met the quality control standards required to gain entry into the EU market. This is very encouraging news for projects supported by HSLA because it widens their market considerably. Production does not currently meet market demand and the processing facilities in the country are running well below capacity, so there is plenty of scope for growth. The challenge will be to ensure that the quality of the honey is maintained to sustain the export potential and keep demand and prices strong for our producers.
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