Agriculture doesn’t always look like rows of vegetables in a field. In Dima’s community in Moldova, farmers are harvesting something they never had before — honey.
Beekeeping is an innovative career choice for this area, but with a well-suited climate, many families are leaving tradition behind and discovering success.
While pastoring his church, Dima partnered with Convoy of Hope to help teach local families how beekeeping can become a sustainable career. There, each family in the Agriculture program begins with two to seven beehives on their property. Some participants then chose to expand their hives into a full-time endeavor. Maintaining 30 beehives brings in full-time income, and some farmers have even grown their farms to 50 hives.
The beekeepers diligently monitor their hives, working to prevent mites, a common pest, from spreading among their bees. When the first honey harvest arrives, the families keep a portion of it for their own use and health benefits before selling the rest. Honey is a valuable product, and each jar brings in a profit.
Through Convoy’s Agriculture program, beekeeping is inviting people to make a change they may not have considered before. In his community, Dima has noticed a sense of obligation to follow the career paths of previous generations. Picturing a new lifestyle can feel risky. But as families watch others find success through beekeeping, more are willing to try something new.
And when they do, they gain greater independence, responsibility, and flexibility in their schedules — which also means more time with their families.
“You become your own boss,” Dima explained. “You gain freedom. You aren’t dependent on another job that doesn’t give you the ability to grow.”
Convoy of Hope is helping more families discover that through Agriculture — and unique skills like beekeeping — they can follow new paths toward financial security. By learning applicable, sustainable methods, communities around the world are being equipped to pursue meaningful livelihoods. And with those new careers, they can spend more time with those they love while reaping the benefits of their hard work.
