With beekeeping, a young man in DRC transforms his life after conflict

In front of his modest home in the village of Mulongo, in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Tanganyika province, Mbuyu wa mbuyu Donatien stands with a warm smile, eager to share his story. 

“I never imagined that beekeeping would change my life in such a way. Honestly, it's a life-enhancing initiative,” says the 24-year-old married father of one. 

In 2016, during inter-community conflicts between the Twa and Bantu peoples in Tanganyika, Donatien and his family were forced to flee their village to seek refuge elsewhere. These violent conflicts led to murders, thefts and the burning of homes and social infrastructure such as schools and health facilities. Donatien lost many of his possessions. His field, livestock and house all went up in smoke.    

Hope in Donatien's life began to revive thanks to a beekeeping cooperative in his village. The USAID-funded Tanganyika Conflict Mitigation and Reconciliation (TCMR) project facilitated the cooperative. Not only did Donatien find a way to earn a living, but he also nurtured his hope of returning to school this year, a dream he had thought lost due to financial difficulties. 

When the TCMR project was introduced in his village, he was one of the first to join the initiative, receiving training in beekeeping and becoming president of the cooperative. The beekeeping activity, implemented by Pact partner Fondation Vinmart, aims to promote income-generating activities and strengthen the resilience of post-conflict communities. Alongside 23 other members of his cooperative, Donatien received practical training in the construction and management of beehives, the harvesting of honey, the preparation of mead and the marketing of beekeeping products. 

The trainers also taught Donatien practical aspects such as marketing and business management. He admits that the training has awakened an entrepreneurial spirit in him that he had never known before. 

The TCMR project aims to promote peace, reconciliation and social cohesion between communities. The project contributes to a solid foundation for peaceful coexistence and sustainable development in Tanganyika by supporting local initiatives, in particular through the mentoring of community structures. The TCMR project has helped members of beekeeping cooperatives to legalize their structures with legal documents. Thanks to the TCMR project, the cooperative has gained access to equipment and resources to get its activities off to a good start.

“In the past, we harvested honey in difficult and unhygienic conditions,” explains Donatien. “Our old practice required us to cut down trees to find honey and burn all the bees in the hive, whereas today we don't do that sort of thing anymore. I have to admit that we were real destroyers of the environment.”

The idea of working as a cooperative has enabled members not only to pool efforts and costs, but also to strengthen ties between the Twa and Bantu peoples. Donatien has inspired the members of his cooperative with his determination and leadership.                

 “Beekeeping is an opportunity for all of us. Together, we improve our lives and gain financial independence,” he said at a recent meeting of community members.

Within the first six months of setting up their cooperative and hives, cooperative members began producing quality honey, which is now sold at local markets. The income has enabled cooperative members not only to receive dividends, but also to invest in the development of their households. 

Donatien has been able to save part of his income, which he will use to go back to school and start work on his field. In a region where transport is a serious problem, he has also bought a bicycle to get around on the job. 

Today, Donatien is recognized as a young leader within the cooperative and in his village. His success inspires other young people to get involved in entrepreneurial and community development activities. 

“Beekeeping has really changed my life,” he says, “and it's my duty to pass on all the skills I've acquired so that they can be of use to all generations.”