Lifasi Trust School
Lifasi Trust School is a community initiative project whose genesis is to encourage and assist the underprivileged children in Lingulyangulya obtain their basic right to education. Lifasi Trust School aims to provide free, holistic education to orphans and community children whose families can't afford to attend send them to school. The project is founded on the premise of community care in order to positively contribute to the development of Lingulyangulya Village. In the local Lozi language 'Lifasi' translates as the whole world.
In 2016, the founder of the school, Jimmy Kakoma from Lingulyangulya a small rural village in Mulobezi District in the Western Province of Zambia had a dream. To build the Lifasi Trust School in order to provide free, accessible and quality education for the children in his home village.
The foundations of the school are built on personal experience and hope. Jimmy was not afforded the chance to complete his education and had to leave school in Grade 7. This was due to the next secondary school being a great distance away from his home and his family not having enough money to send him to school.
Since then he has been working hard to make his dream a reality. He approached the village headman with the proposal of building the school, thereafter land was granted to him. The Lifasi Trust School was registered with PACRA (Patent and Company Registration Authority) in April 2021.
My journey with Lifasi Trust School
In October 2022, when Jimmy approached me and shared his dream to continue building the Lifasi Trust School, he was working as a security guard at the Twaabane Creative Centre where we met and became friends. Jimmy has a quiet calm about him but with sharpness and wit that seep out at just the right time. In the first meeting, I experienced a new side to Jimmy that he had never shared before. One of vulnerability and complete human openness. He said to me in ciTonga, I don’t know why but my heart is telling me you are the right person to share my ideas and my dreams (mizezo aangu) with. I feel like I can trust you to help me with this project.
Since then we had regular meetings on my veranda which looked out at the Mopane Woodlands of Simonga. At the second meeting Jimmy arrived with a large yellow file in hand. A mobile archive of all the work he had done to work towards building the Lifasi Trust School till that date. All his legal paperwork was in order, he had initiated a digital community through a Facebook group and had an active website. By the end of the meeting I was moved by how much he was able to achieve with restricted opportunities and limited funding he had. It was on this note we decided to hatch collaborative plans and strategies that would ensure the growth of the project and the realisation of his dream to provide holistic education to underpriviledged childen in his home of Lingulyangulya.
About two weeks before Jimmy had approached me with the idea of working on Lifasi together, he brought a bottle of golden coloured honey to my door. It was sitting in glass bottle I knew once contained olive oil. I bought the bottle of honey. It was only a few weeks after our meeting and the honey bottle being emptied that I found out that the purchase, and all other honey sales were going towards covering the running costs of the school. Jimmy shared with me that he sourced his honey from local foragers in his village. During this conversation I noted that some of the honey harvesting methods employed by the local foragers of Jimmy’s honey were not entirely environmentally responsible. These methods require trees, in which the hives sit, to be felled. This particular practice contributes to the high levels of deforestation in the Western Province, which are mostly as a result of timber logging companies and illegal timber trades.
From this conversation, it was decided that the honey was to continue supporting the Lifasi Trust School but in order for this to happen the systems around its harvesting and production would have to change. The pilot project, called Linosi translates in Lozi as honey.
The first step of the pilot project was securing funding to proceed with basic project implementation. Thanks to a handful of generous patrons, who believe in our mission to a establish a sustainble stream of income to support the operational costs of Lifasi Trust School, we were able to raise funds to begin the first phase of our pilot project. Between March 2023 and July 2023 a fundraising campaign raised 134 GBP which at the time was the approximate Kwacha Equivalent of 2,880.
With this funding we were able to
Develop Our Project Infrastructure Using Ethical Frameworks.
We partnered with a local carpenter of Lingulyangulya, Kenneth, to build our first few beehives using the Kenyan Top Bar Hive model of as guide. A few design adjustments were made by Jimmy and Kenneth. The hives were made using wood offcuts from a nearby sawmill. This version of the beehive is not only cost-effective but also addresses some of the issues surrounding waste product management in the timber industry.
5 Hives Made
The hives were mounted in trees around the school plot in the latter part of 2023. As of March 2024 we are happy to share we have some resident bees hiving in our small scale pilot apiary.
2 Hives Occupied
Visualising Our Raw Zambian Honey
We spent part of the first phase of the pilot projecting rendering our honey jars, bottles, labels and packaging. As part of our commitment to being a honey producer that works with the utmost consideration for people and the planet, all of our jars and bottles are upcycled glass which have been collected from various partners across the Western and Southern Province of Zambia.
Linosi Honey is an embodiment of environmental consciousness and social responsibility. Nestled within the Miombo Woodlands of Lingulyangulya Village in Western Zambia, this golden nectar is produced through meticulous and eco-friendly practices which are geared towards generating a sustainable stream of income for the Lifasi Trust School whilst empowering local women through bee-keeping and honey production skills training alongside preserving the surrounding Miombo Forest.
The women of Lingulyangulya, the beekeepers(bee-carers), are at the heart of this sustainable honey production, employing sustainable beekeeping techniques that prioritise the well-being of both bees and their natural habitats. By avoiding harmful chemicals and supporting natural pollination processes, they create a harmonious balance between human activity and the environment. The result is a delectable honey that not only carries the distinct flavours of the Miombo Woodlands’ diverse floral ecosystems but also reflects the commitment to preserving nature for future generations.
With its rich taste and eco-friendly ethos, Linosi Honey serves as a testament to the potential of sustainable practices in supporting communities and fostering a healthier planet.
Mock up jar of Linosi
Our Bee-Carers
Women have long been the backbone of many societies. The same can be said for the women of Lingulyangulya, which is why Linosi Honey directly supports a network of women in Lingulyangulya and surrounding areas through the frameworks of our apiary. We train women at various stages of the honey production process as we believe there is a deep rooting in the skills training of women in order to facilitate positive change.
Training the women of Lingulyangulya in beekeeping holds significant importance due to the numerous benefits it brings to both the women themselves and their communities.
Here are some key reasons highlighting the importance of training rural women in beekeeping
Economic Empowerment
Beekeeping can provide a sustainable source of income for our women. By receiving training in beekeeping techniques, hive management, honey extraction, and value-added honey product development, women can establish their own beekeeping enterprises. This empowers them to generate income, improve their economic status, and contribute to the financial stability of their families and communities.
Environmental Stewardship
Beekeeping promotes environmental conservation and sustainable land management practices. Rural women have long been the stewards or custodians of the Miombo Woodlands but over time have lost this connection to the land. When trained in beekeeping, the Lingulyangulya women can reconnect with and relearn about the importance of protecting natural habitats, preserving biodiversity, and using sustainable farming methods that support pollinator health. By becoming beekeepers, women actively contribute to the conservation of bees and other pollinators, which play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and ensuring food security.
Skills Development and Empowerment
Training rural women in beekeeping equips them with valuable skills and knowledge. Through training programs, women learn about bee biology, hive management, honey extraction techniques, and product processing. These skills boost their confidence and self-reliance, enabling them to take on leadership roles within their communities. Beekeeping empowers women with a sense of ownership and agency, allowing them to actively contribute to decision-making processes.
Sustainable Agricultural Practices
Bees are vital pollinators for crops and contribute to agricultural productivity. Women trained in beekeeping can use their knowledge to implement sustainable farming practices that support pollinator populations. By integrating beekeeping into agricultural systems, women can improve crop yields and enhance the quality of fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products. This knowledge benefits not only their own beekeeping enterprises but also the overall agricultural productivity of the community.