This International Women’s Day, Harvesting Honey (and a Livelihood)
Lulu Letlape found a renewed sense of purpose through the Ubuntu Beekeeping Project — a groundbreaking JDC program that trains women to become beekeepers and launch their own honey-production businesses.
By JDC Team | March 7, 2024
On International Women’s Day (IWD), we celebrate the strength, resilience, and meaningful contributions of women around the world. This IWD, we bring you an interview with Lulu Letlape, who found her calling through the Ubuntu Beekeeping Project — the JDC partnership with Ripples for Change that trains women in beekeeping and how to launch and manage their own honey production businesses. In this Q&A, Letlape tells us about what inspired her to join Ubuntu and how this program boosted her livelihood and happiness.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your life. Where are you from? What’s your community like?
A: I was born in KwaMashu township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. When I was a child, I knew I’d likely become a teacher or a nurse. My mom was a nurse and my father a government administrator. We were a lively community and kids always played in the streets. Weekends were full of song and dance. We were lucky that my father was at home a lot — he cooked for us and washed our clothes while mom worked the night shift.
I started my career as a teacher in my township but moved to Johannesburg in 1994 to seek more opportunities. In 2016, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and due to my health, I couldn’t continue at my job. That’s when beekeeping entered my life.
Q: How did you first hear about Ubuntu? What excited you most about this program?
A: My friend introduced me to beekeeping, and I considered this a crucial part of my healing process. She worked for a JDC partner organization and told me there was a project for women who’d like to learn beekeeping called Ubuntu. I got really excited about the opportunity to share something valuable with those around me and contribute to a more sustainable, safer community.
In short, joining Ubuntu was a no-brainer: The program was aiming to improve women’s lives, giving them an opportunity to run their own business and bring dignity to themselves and their families. This mission fit perfectly with my own vision: to be the light for those around me.
Q: In your own words, what’s the mission of the Ubuntu Beekeeping Project?
A: “Ubuntu” is Zulu for “I am because you are.” In that spirit, the Ubuntu Beekeeping Project helps women help themselves, their families, and their communities, thus creating a thriving, peaceful, and sustainable society. This project focuses on women, as they are the key building blocks of society. By training one woman, you improve the livelihood of an entire community.
Q: Now you serve as a program mentor. What different skills do you teach the beekeepers?
A: Every program mentor is a beekeeper herself, and teaches our participants all they need to know — from launching a business with just four boxes (one “box” houses a single bee family) to owning more than 100 boxes. We start by focusing on the bee queendom, learning the importance of community and responsibility amongst the hive. We also learn, among many other things, how the bees forage and produce honey.
The most exciting part is the harvest and extraction of honey. Our ultimate goal is to create a lasting business and boost our livelihood, so we learn all about marketing, business management, and finance.
Most, if not all, of the participants start the program with a huge fear of bees. But strange as it may sound, the women quickly fall in love with them after learning more about their complex, beautiful world. I myself love spending time with the bees and watching their busy lives. They work hard, for the good of all — values I try to live by, too, so, I guess you could say they’ve taught me something! I also enjoy the fact that I produce something healthy (as honey is good for the immune system).
Q: How has this program equipped you to support yourself, your family, and your community?
A: The program has allowed me to contribute to my community and witness firsthand the change in the lives of those around me. When the women start the program, they are usually quiet and shy. But watching them open up fills me with joy each day. I feel utterly fulfilled as a human being doing what I love and contributing positively to the lives of other people.
There’s also the practical benefit: Ubuntu has helped me grow my business and boost my livelihood. We receive a monthly stipend which allows us to hire employees and grow our business even more. The program has also bought us cutting-edge machinery — a huge benefit that helps boost revenue. The program managers encourage me to grow my own business, and with their support, I’m now planning to look into exports and retail soon with their support.
Ubuntu focuses on women, as they are the key building blocks of society. By training one woman, you improve the livelihood of an entire community.
Q: What would you say to women who might not know much about beekeeping but are interested in Ubuntu? Why should they participate in this program?
A: Ubuntu will change the way you look at life. You start appreciating everything around you, knowing the importance we all play in this universe. We all are because of others — whether it’s people, animals, or the environment. We depend on each other. This program makes this very clear and helps you appreciate the beauty of coexistence.
Q: What does International Women’s Day (IWD) mean to you? Why should there be a day dedicated to women all over the world?
A: IWD provides women an opportunity to reflect on their valuable contribution to humankind. Women, just like worker bees, work very hard but often don’t get the recognition they deserve. IWD is an opportunity for women to celebrate themselves, their successes, and to reflect on what needs to be done to achieve full equality.
Q: What do you want to say to those who support Ubuntu? When they give to the project, what exactly are they supporting?
A: When you support Ubuntu, you are unleashing a powerful force — specifically, the power of women, enabling them to share themselves with their communities, just as you are sharing yourselves with them. You are caring for them, and because of that, they too can care for others. Your contribution extends the spirit of Ubuntu far and wide, and we feel that deeply here.
Lulu Letlape is a program mentor for the JDC-supported Ubuntu Beekeeping Project in South Africa.
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