How a passion for bees is restoring Tiwai Island’s pollinators
Empowering local communities through beekeeping on Tiwai Island
As a young and promising conservation scholar at the beginning of my academic success, only one thing had occupied my mind: restore my communities surrounding Tiwai Island and thus Sierra Leone’s biodiversity into the future.
To me, the path of conservation was not just a career choice; it was a personal promise to my community. Growing up in Sierra Leone, I witnessed the loss of biodiversity that was eroding the very livelihood of local people. The disappearing forests, the vanishing important pollinators such as bees, and the fast-depleting natural resources became too pressing for me to ignore. These were not abstract issues; they hit my community and people.
From a very young age, I knew that protecting biodiversity wasn’t a noble cause but an urgent need. To me, conservation wasn’t a choice; it was an imperative for the very well-being of the people and the environment that nurtured me. An academic interest didn’t just drive my passion for protecting biodiversity; it was deeply rooted in my urge to restore the harmony between people and nature. While studying conservation, I envisioned a future where Sierra Leone’s ecosystems would be healthier, its communities more resilient, and its biodiversity protected for future generations.
With the launch of the Tiwai Honey Initiative Project in 2024, I leapt to turn that vision into reality with the birth of the Tiwai Honey Initiative, part of the Bangs Circular, aiming to help solve some very hot environmental issues in Sierra Leone. The Tiwai Honey Initiative contribute to addressing the declining numbers of pollinators—most especially bees—a challenge of increasing importance both environmentally and agriculturally.