As the country grapples with high rates of unemployment, the youths have something to treasure in and that is bee keeping. Kenneth Niwaha the chairman Rugashari youths says that they were involved in running battles with the NFA accusing them of encroaching on Bugoma central forest reserve as they tried to make the ends meet. Niwaha says that most youths had a perception that charcoal burning was only way to until 2016 when Kitara Civil Society Organizations’ network (KCSON) with support from the World-Wide Fund for nature (WWF) started sensitizing them on sustainable use of natural resources. Harnessing nature to make money “We did not know that we can live harmoniously with the environment because our practices were endangering the existing natural forest of Bugoma,” says Niwaha.
He says that after listening to a team from KCSON they realized that life can still go on normally without cutting down trees for charcoal. Niwaha gives testimony that Bugoma forest had been turned into a charcoal burning zone and all trees had started disappearing. He says that KCSON in collaboration with NFA trained them on how best they co-exist with the forests for their own good. Niwaha says that after one year of intervention the forest started regenerating and this gave them hope that nature will be restored. “it was a surprise to us because we could not believe that the forest could resurface again after being depleted for charcoal. But thank God our real natural forest in getting back into its original shape,” says Niwaha. He says that KCSON gave them bee hives and currently they have 270 Kenyan Top Bar (KTB) and are all colonized. “We have started selling honey and getting money to supplement our other sources of income,” says Niwaha.
We have so far made over shs. 4,000,000/= from sale of honey. In addition to bee keeping the youths of Rugashari have been given tree seedlings and each individual member have planted in their homes as a source of income in the future. The youth group is also involved in village savings and loans association (VSLA) so that they can have a source of income to do business and meet other domestic needs without going to money lending institutions or individuals. Niwaha says currently the youths have over shs.6.5 million in their association for members to borrow and use. “The VSLA has greatly helped us as the youth because the money lenders want collateral which most of us do not have but with our VSLA we are sure of returning the money says Niwaha.