The phrase “To those whom much is given, much is expected,” rang in Meghan’s ears.

Creating a Buzz

Posted October 29, 2010

Not long ago, the Hatian bee industry had almost been wiped out by disease.

MEGHAN OLIVIER never pictured herself knee-deep in a bee farm in the middle of a Third World country. But there she was, watching as Avon Louis moved deliberately over his beehives, pulling out honey-draped frames and meticulously inspecting them. The old, Haitian man wanted to find the heaviest, most fruitful one to share with his American friends. The good news was there was plenty to share.

It was humbling to Meghan, who knew the honey was the man’s livelihood yet he was determined to give away the cream of his crop. She understood why. Avon attributed the renewal of his 40-year-old beekeeping business to the nonprofit organization Meghan worked for, Partners of the Americas, and its Beekeeping Project.

Partners of the Americas links the United States with Latin American and Caribbean countries in partnerships that use the energy and skills of citizen volunteers, their institutions, and communities to address shared concerns of social, economic, and cultural development. One of its many fruitful programs is Farmer to Farmer, a program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that aims to improve economic opportunities in rural areas of Latin America and the Caribbean by increasing food production and distribution, promoting better farm and marketing operations and conserving natural resources. One successful outreach of the program is the Beekeeping Project, for which Meghan is a program officer.

Watching the Haitian man survey his lush honeycombs, it was hard for Meghan to believe that not that long ago the country’s bee industry had almost been completely wiped out by disease. Partners of the Americas set out to reestablish the once thriving beekeeping industry in the country by sending successful beekeepers and agriculturists from the United States to Haiti. Their goals were simple: train young Haitians to work in the industry; help transition old hives to more modern ones; and educate beekeepers about disease, production and processing. As a result of their efforts, many Haitians are producing enough honey for their own communities with plenty of extra to sell to others.

The amber liquid along with other hive products like propolis hold countless health benefits, which make producing it an ideal industry for impoverished nations. It has antibacterial properties that make it an effective topical agent for wounds. It is used as a skin care product, a sweetener for foods and beverages, and as a treatment to take the sting out of sore throats. The honey business has also provided micro-enterprise opportunities for women in Haiti who use the beeswax to make candles and crafts for sale.

 A Meaningful Job

Meghan didn’t set out to change the world through beekeeping. The 28-year-old says she stumbled into the field by chance. A graduate of Birmingham-Southern College, Meghan fell in love with international languages and cultures when she first traveled to France during high school. The love affair continued when she studied abroad her senior year in college.

This was at a time in Meghan’s life when she was trying to figure out what she could do in with her education that had a real purpose in the world. “You know that phrase you hear, ‘To those whom much is given, much is expected?’ That just stuck in my ears,” she says.

While completing her Master’s Degree in International Development at American University, Meghan was given the opportunity to do an internship at Partners of the Americas. The internship later turned into a full-time job. From the beginning, Meghan worked with the Beekeeping Project and has traveled to Haiti twice to oversee the program’s progress. She says she is moved when she sees the bountiful apiary, or bee yards, like that of Nicodeme. Nicodeme’s is perhaps the most successful story that has come out of the Beekeeping Project. In 2008, the Haitian harvested only 17 gallons of honey from his 16 hives. One year later, he harvested 175 gallons from 36 hives. He and his family consume about 10 percent of his honey. The rest is sold raw or processed and sold. He also produces beeswax as a product.

“Increasing cash in the hands of poor farmers is often the best strategy for poverty alleviation because they can spend it on their most important needs, whether it’s a generator for electricity, for repairs to their home or school fees for their kids,” Meghan says. “This is true especially compared to donated materials, like clothes, that may help the poor but not address their most pressing needs.”

One of the goals of the Farmer to Farmer Program is to strengthen the local industry for economic purposes, but, Meghan explains, it is also to expose Americans to the type of assistance that our government gives people in other countries in order to help them become more self-sufficient.

“For me, personally, those are my underlying goals as well,” she adds. “What keeps me going is when I am able to see these people with more opportunities. You meet them, and they are just really grateful for the assistance they are given. They don’t forget what it means to them. And that’s what makes mine truly a meaningful job.”

MEGHAN OLIVIER is a former Dowd and Susan Ritter Dependent Scholarship winner and the daughter of Joan Brengelman, who works in Regions Human Resources in Birmingham, Alabama.

Everyone has a story.