Beekeeper aims to protect village from elephants

A woman from Worcester is working on a project to build a 6km (3.73 mile) "beehive fence" designed to prevent elephants from entering farmland in Tanzania.

Rachel Monger, a piano teacher who lives in St John's, is working with international group Emmanuel International to support a community bordering the Ruaha National Park, where officials said elephants were destroying crops and injuring people.

Although elephants are the world's largest land mammals, Monger said they were known to avoid bees.

The project aims to install 600 hives to act as a deterrent to the elephants while generating income for residents from honey and beeswax.

"It's an incredible solution where everyone wins," said Monger.

"We are protecting the elephants, securing food for subsistence farmers and creating a sustainable economy through beekeeping."

Monger previously lived in Tanzania for 10 years, where she trained as a beekeeper and helped farmers establish beekeeping groups.

"Beekeeping is traditionally a male activity in Tanzania and, for all the women I have worked with in beekeeping, this has been a novel and unique idea," she said.

"They become part of a group with new valuable skills which gives them self confidence and mutual support.

"They are able to start village savings and loans schemes and grow their honey money and together start other small enterprises, which mean their children are better provided for."

Monger visited the Mafuluto community last year to assess whether the Elephant and Bee Project could be established locally.

She will return to Tanzania later this month to support the first stage of installation.

Local support for the fundraiser was organised through Worcester Beekeepers, who will visit schools and host a display at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival from 7 - 10 May.

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