By Faith Esika;
On June 16th, laughter, dance and traditional music filled the atmosphere in Cherus village, Uasin Gishu County, as 43 Ogiek youth proudly graduated from a three-month training on modern beehive construction.
The ceremony, held at the community-run Ogiek Beehive Workshop, wasn’t just about awarding certificates, it was a celebration of innovation and culture. Families gathered, elders gave blessings, and graduates, beaming with pride, showcased the hives they had crafted with their own hands.
For the Ogiek, honey has always been more than food. It is medicine and a link to the forest that has sustained them for centuries. Yet, over time, unsustainable log hives and policy decisions to exclude people from residing in public forests, strained this heritage. Recognizing the need to adapt, the Eldoret-Iten Water Fund (EIWF), in partnership with the Ogiek community, launched the beehive workshop in early 2024. Since then, over 250 sustainable hives have been built, blending Indigenous knowledge with modern designs like Langstroth and Kenya Top Bar Hives (KTBH).
Graduates left not only with technical skills but also with a renewed sense of purpose. “This training has been beneficial because it has added on a skill that I did not have. Now, I have something I can call my own and use as a source of livelihood and a sustainable way to carry our heritage” – said Dorcas Jeruto, one of the trained graduates.
The event was attended by implementing partners of EIWF such as The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company (ELDOWAS), as well as, the Ogiek Council of Elders, the Ogiek Consortium, and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, represented by Ms. Vicky Betty Chepkorir, Director Programs, Projects and Strategic Initiatives, State department of Environment, Climate Change, who congratulated the youth and emphasized the importance of Indigenous-led conservation.
Anchored under the Ogiek Indigenous Peoples Action Plan (IPAP), the workshop stands as a beacon of Indigenous Peoples’ leadership in conservation. In appreciation of the work the community has done the County Government of Uasin Gishu supplied honey processing equipment to add value to Ogiek honey, creating opportunities for expanding into wider markets, further empowering the community.
As the graduates posed for photos with their hives and certificates, the atmosphere was one of optimism, echoing the message of the day: a future where conservation, culture, and community livelihoods thrive side by side.
