The Training Day - (where have I heard that before ) 29th

My effort - modelled by Charles - some veil trimming needed


We leave for the OYAG group stopping to buy another three pairs of scissors on the way.

We arrive at the village on-time and we are the first there. Other members are still having to finish their daily chores and in the fields before coming to this.

By 10.30 a group of 15 people4 have arrived including two from the KAWO group, we are ready to start.

I take advantage of the delay to ask for a fire to be lit and then practice on an old piece of maize sacking with a hot stick. I get the hang of it but not before a make a few big holes.

I start of by showing them the suit I have made and telling them how much it cost. Would they like to learn to make their own? A resounding yes and loud clapping so we get started.

I have enough material to make three more suits and I decide to start of the tops as that is the most useful part should we run out of time today.

I show the group what to do and I am promptly pushed off the mat as the groups of people start on their own materials.

Work goes quickly and the skill of singeing the cut edges of the sacking is quickly mastered. No need for parcel tape here.

There are one or two early accidents with bad cuts of burnt holes but nothing that cannot be mended.

There is not lack of volunteers to model the suits as they start to take shape or to be measured before holes are cut. I draw the line at taking inside leg measurements but that just adds to the fun as the young men laugh and joke as they go about this work. A scene form 'Are you being served'.

The sewing skills of both men and women are remarkable and in no time at all the main bodice with arms of all three suits are finished.

Rather than do the hood I now concentrate on the trousers and with very little instruction the groups are away. I am standing in the background watching and giving practical advice and help where it is needed.

This group is working well together, is motivated and is having fun. The air is filled with a buzz ( and I use that word deliberately), laughter rings around the village.

Once the trousers are completed four of the men insist on wearing them to model for the rest of the group then to work in.

The hoods are a little more complicated but are no trouble for the group. One group is slower than the others but then their stitching is infinitely better.

By 3pm all three suits are finished and with whoops of glee they are put on and paraded round and round the centre of the village.

Time for a group photo and also to say good-bye.

I leave the remaining material, needles etc with the groups to share and Akol assures me that he will meet with the KAWO group and share plans and knowledge. The KAWO group take home with them the beesuit they have made and the knowledge they have gained.

We leave to head back to Mbale a job well done.

It is nice when a plan comes together.

Getting the fire lit - why does it take ten men to do it?

Akole, who is 6' 3" in my effort of a beesuit.

Singeing the edges of the sacking - practice

Initial cutting out

Group full of Buzzy Buzzy

They all wanted to model the suits.

Once on they would not take them off.

Group Photo for the album

Group photo - with energy.

The KAWO visit - 28th

KAWO means Bee.

We had arranged to meet the group at 11am because I did not know how far it was from Mbale. We left at 9.30am, having done a little shopping and arrived at the meeting place at 10.15am. I caused panic as they were not ready but did not want me to wait.

We had a discussion with the group, which included a Bee keeping consultant/trainer before heading out into the bush to visit two of the four sites.

The group already had bee hives, mainly KTBs but some Langstroth and had harvested a small amount of honey. The protective clothing they had was a heavy cotton full beesuit that had cost a fortune and a set of old overalls with buttons and no zips

The road into the bush was ok , better than the main road and after 9km we came to the first village.

This village was well organised and had planted large areas of land with Citrus trees and were now starting to plant Mangos and sunflowers. They had a plan to plant crops such that there was forage for the bees all year round.

I was told that the citrus crop had increased markedly since the bee hives had been populated, harvesting 35 bags this year.

Some members of Committee of the KAWO group

Handing over Bees Abroad Training Manuals - the ones posted in january from the UK had also arrived safely.

The Citrus Orchard where over 300 trees had been planted

MUlti storey KTBs - don't know how they manage the bottom one without disturbing the top one.

Plastic bags and grease around hive stands to stop the ants.

Some of the potential beneficiaries from the bee keeping project


The second village was a further 5km into the bush along a single track road which we had to drive along with care. Making sure the growth at the side of the track did not hide any holes or old tree stumps, either of which would do big damage to the car.

This village was not as well organised and the people were poor, mainly widows and orphans.

Second site for planned KTBs

KTBs in situ but not very accessible for harvesting and management.

Members of the group in the second village.

The track home.

After the meeting I arranged with Akole that members of the KAWO group could attend the training session at his village. Until my visit they were not aware of each other, despite being only 20km apart and both keen to use beekeeping to alleviate poverty. In John's terms this could be "Buzz group"

I work late when we get back and finish the Beesuit ready for the training tomorrow. No photos of the completed one yet though.

Shopping and making a Beesuit - 27th

The day starts off warm - as usual. The norm is for warm in the morning then thunderstorms around 4pm and rain overnight.

After breakfast off into Mbale to get the shopping I need to make my first Beesuit from maize flour sacks. Overnight Mary has sent me texts and instructions on what has to be done. I am already aware of the process having spoken to both Mary and John about this at some length when we were still in the UK.

The biggest problem I have is that I do not have access to an open fire at the guest House, so cannot melt the cut seams of the Maize sacks to stop them fraying and - quite literally - falling apart. I have decide to get some insulating tape, or the like, and stick the bags with this and then cut through this and the bags.

I later find that the roll of Parcel tape in my luggage is brilliant for this job. So I guess Sellotape would do the same.

The market is in full swing when we get to the town centre, and it is nice and sunny

The shopping goes OK apart from getting the maize sacks nand the needles took a lot of tracking down. We were directed into the centre of the market for the maize sacks but as a Mzungu I stood out a little and we were getting harassed increasingly by people to buy their goods. We saw a guy across the road filling empty sacks with flour so I asked him if he had any to sell, he didn't but offered to go into the market and get what I wanted - brilliant. Five minutes later we had the sacks and were on our way back to the Guest House.

I took over a couple of tables in the courtyard and set to work. Ordering the occasional Soda so as not to be asked to leave. As my work progress I got ever increasing funny looks from the staff and other guests who passed by.

The Starter kit from the market. I bought enough to make four suits - in for a penny in for a pound. My rough costings put the cost per suit at about 6,500 schillings (1.80 in sterling) plus my labour. Professionally made beesuits cost 250,000 schillings here - a bit of a saving.

Start on the easy bits the legs. But do you know how difficult it is to measure your own inside leg? Tip number 1 - leave plenty room to grow.

This bit is easy too, just three cuts in a sack but the edges need stitching to stop the fraying.

Getting more complicated now - I didn't know my arms were that long.

I am pleased at my rudimentary sewing skill. The needles I bought are huge so I can thread them easily with doubled up thread. The seams may not be too straight but they appear to be holding and are certainly bee proof.

It eventually got too dark to work outside and that and the mosquitoes drove me indoors to my room to continue the work.

The OYAG visit - 26th

Members of the OYAG group.

A hive used to provide swarms to hives belonging to group members.

You won't find this hive described in any text book. A plastic barrel with a small container used as the entrance - and it is populated and providing honey.

Pottery pot hive.

Log hive

Wicker hives, made by group members

Group by the KTBs that Okale is making. He is stuck for top bars now.

KTBs in need of a bit of TLC. The plastic used for the roof has perished in the heat/sunlight. They are all populated.

This track is better than the main Soroti-Mbale road.

Mbale Clock Tower. I have yet to see it when it is not raining.

Photos - the trip to Uganda and also Kitale - 25th November

Eldoret Bee Supplies - Watch out Thornes!!!

Quite a pet to kick out of Supermarket at Eldoret

The approach to the border - more than a hundred trucks parked up waiting to cross.

The actual border between Kenya and Uganda is the middle of this Stream.

No Man's Land - I have been 'stamped' out of Kenya and no visa for entry to Uganda yet

Charles (my Ugandan driver), David and Samual - saw me safely across the border.

Gertrude and her daughter. Gertrude runs Guiding Star school in Kampala and is formidable lady. Her daughter is a Doctor in Torroro and appears to be a "chip of the block" too.

Catching up on photos - back to the 24th

The Rochoko Group members for training

Bottom of a KTB, ready for the mud.

Training class

The Magic 3.2cm bottle top.

What is this bird - any ideas?

Walter and team baiting catcher boxes

Presenting Beesuits donated by the NBU - a good resource for the planned training apiary.

When it rains it rains - from empty to full to overflowing in a couple of hours.

Honey processing plant near Cheptebo - they would not let us in or take photos - Competitors!!!!

A well earned rest.