Great Minds Bee Keeping Cooperative in Mwanza says it is geared to expand its market, increase production, and improve the quality of its products to attract more customers and boost profits.
The 35-member cooperative was established by beneficiaries of the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) through transition sessions that equip school leavers with skills to become self-reliant after completing their education.
The beneficiaries formed the CAMFED Association Malawi (CAMA), where they receive training, and support and encourage young girls who are still in school to remain resilient and complete their education.
Secretary for Great Minds Bee-Keeping Cooperative, Ellen Zinkonda, disclosed that CAMFED awarded the group a grant of K10 million in 2023, which was used to purchase a forest at Kosamu Village in the area of Traditional Authority Kanduku where they established 145 beehives.
“Our hard work attracted another grant of K125 million from the Agricultural Commercialisation Project (AGCOM), which will help boost our business,” said Zinkonda.
She said the cooperative has so far received K42 million, representing 42 percent of the grant, and expects to receive the remaining balance by the end of the year.
According to Zinkonda, the funding will enable the cooperative to purchase a honey processing machine, improve product branding, and expand its market.
Chairperson for the Business Advisory Committee at Mwanza District Council, Joseph Chiwaya, said plans are underway to have Great Minds Bee-Keeping Cooperative trained by the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute (SMEDI) to help the cooperative achieve certification and produce high-quality honey products.
