Tiyani Hahlani

What began as a small beekeeping initiative over a decade ago in Chapanduka village, Buhera District, has grown into a thriving community enterprise empowering rural livelihoods and inspiring hope for future generations.

Established in 2015 with support from SAFIRE and Oxfam (funded by the Swedish International Development Agency, SIDA), the Chapanduka Honey Processing Centre has become a hub of innovation and resilience.

Starting with basic honey harvesting, the centre now produces a range of value-added products including bottled honey, candles, shoe and floor polish, beeswax, and honey wine.

From humble beginnings, the group now comprises 38 committed members who are not only earning incomes but also contributing to environmental sustainability through organized beekeeping and forest preservation.

The centre’s chairperson, Rodgers Mahuda, reflected proudly on their journey.

“The project has brought real change to our community, creating income, dignity, and knowledge. Through government partnerships, we gained essential skills in honey harvesting and processing for diverse uses,” said Mahuda.

Mahuda emphasized the project’s long-term vision.

“We are training our youth in honey processing, leaving them a legacy and combating drug and substance abuse. Our products already sell locally and are reaching Mutare. By 2030, we hope our centre will be a major supplier across Zimbabwe,” he said.

Through hands-on workshops and community involvement, the centre serves as a learning space for women and youth interested in beekeeping and agro-processing.

Beyond income generation, the initiative fosters community cohesion, promotes sustainable land use, and advances gender inclusion, with women actively participating across the honey value chain.

Supported by climate adaptation programming, Chapanduka’s honey initiative stands as a rural development success story which demonstrates how small-scale interventions, when nurtured, can blossom into powerful engines of change.