This TEN member project is growing a Honey and Beeswax Social Enterprise to support marginalised women in Tanzania. With a commitment to empower women and children with albinism they are a strong voice challenging the stigma they face while creating opportunities for income-generation.

Mama Hive joins the TEN Community from Mwanza, Tanzania. They are a Honey and Beeswax Women’s Social Enterprise committed to supporting women and children with albinism and challenging the stigma attached to marginalised people. Their goal is to craft and market quality beeswax products and see lives transformed as women are trained in artisan skills and discipled and mentored.

Through the enterprise, disadvantaged women are given the opportunity to financially provide for themselves and their families through employment at Mama Hive and through a growing micro-finance scheme that supports increasingly more women and enables the launch of other small household enterprises. With support from TEN, they have translated Mind Your Business into Swahili and are giving training and support to more women. They also connect with and support rural beekeepers providing access to markets for their honey and beeswax.

Their hope is to grow the social enterprise in order to provide opportunities and training for increasingly more women. As they move towards self-sufficiency, they are looking for help to continue paying the salary of Aikande, who is needed full-time to oversee the project. Donations also support the social fund which helps the women to cover emergency medical costs or build their loan capital for approved income-generation projects and helps to cover extra costs for things like attending marketing fairs to reach new customers.  

This project is making a difference to the lives of marginalised people. As women join the group and are shown love and acceptance, given training and skills and realise new opportunities, they grow in confidence and faith which is passed on to their children. Generating income is improving health, paying medical expenses that previously could not be afforded. Children can go to school and get a better education and houses and small businesses are being built.

If you would like to know more, get in touch with Mama Hive at [email protected]

Donations via TEN for Mama Hive can be made here:

Donations for Mama Hive

For large donations, please ask us for TEN bank details so a direct transfer can be made. Thanks!