By: Lebohang Maluke
MASERU – It sounds incredible, for 19-year-old Mankhala Letsie. She uses bees, as medicine, to heal people with debilitating diseases like cancer and arthritis. She stumbled upon this unusual gift in the family business.
“I have been surrounded by bees for a long time, as long as I can remember,” she says.
“My father, mother, and brother all work together in the housekeeping business, so I naturally pick a lot from them. After completing my LGCSE, I decided to start my own in our yard. I fell connected with the bees, and over time, I began to see their healing potential.” She states. She also won the award under the category of Bee Keeping at the Farmers Pitso Awards.
Despite being young, Letsie has already built a loyal following of patients, who travel from around the country to experience her ‘bee therapy’ wherein she sometimes offers house calls for healing sessions. Some skeptics doubt the validity of Letsie’s but she remains unfazed, confident in her gift.
She further explains that her ultimate goal is to raise awareness about the amazing potential of bees. These tiny creatures are not just honey-makers, they as valuable members of the ecosystem, provide significant healing benefits for human skin and other essentials.
Bee stings are painful, bee venom has been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions including multiple sclerosis.
Bee products like honey and royal jelly are already used in skincare products, but there is another secret weapon in bee’ arsenal: propolis. Propolis is a resinous substance that bees produce to seal up their hive. It is a natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent, which makes it perfect for skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
She explains that propolis can also be used to cure people ailments like flu, pulse, and womb infections.
She employed three youth and this year, she started teaching people about the importance of bees.
Letsie’s reputation for quality products has spread far beyond her small community, with her body lotions sold in local pharmacies and the National University of Lesotho (NUL) having tested and approved them.
“I approached the NUL science department to participate in a study on the effectiveness of my bee-based products, the results were phenomenal, with the lotions proving highly effective in treating a variety of skin conditions,” she explains further that people need to take care of their skins.
When her orders are high she works together with family. Associating with beekeeping organizations also provides numerous benefits to individual beekeepers and the beekeeping industry as a whole.
Sharing of knowledge among members of the association provides a platform for beekeepers to share their knowledge, experiences, and best practices, which can help new beekeepers get started and improve the overall quality of beekeeping.
Advocacy: Beekeeping organizations can provide a collective voice to advocate for bee health and raise awareness about the importance of bees in our environment.
Advocacy is a crucial part of what beekeeping organizations offer. This refers to raising awareness to ensure that organizations work with local communities, schools, and other groups to educate people about the role of bees in our ecosystem and the dangers of pesticides and other environmental threats.
Lobbying for change by working with government agencies and legislators, associations can help shape policies that protect bees and their habitats, such as banning harmful pesticides or creating more pollinator-friendly environments.
Beekeeping businesses are not only important for providing honey and beeswax products but also play a significant role in preserving the bee population and promoting environmental sustainability.
Pollination: Honeybees play a vital role in pollinating plants, which is essential for the production of fruits, vegetables, and other crops. Without bees, many plants would not be able to reproduce, leading to a significant decrease in crop yields.
Biodiversity bees are an integral part of many ecosystems, and their health is often an indicator of the overall health of the environment. Bees in habitat create nesting habitats for other species, such as birds and small mammals, which rely on the bee colonies for food and shelter.
Bees’ interconnection is directly linked to the health of plants and animals in their environment. If their populations decline, it can have ripple effects throughout the food chain.
Beekeeping is not only an ancient and fascinating art but also a vital component of our environment and food system. As such, it is essential that we support and protect bees and their habitats, both for their sake and our own. Bees are crucial for pollination of many crops and flowers. Without them, our food supply would be drastically reduced. On the environmental health they are an indicator of the overall health of our ecosystems. If they are struggling, it often means that other species are as well.