From April through December 2017, with a grant from IOCC, Diakonia Agapes (the social, development, and relief office of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania), helped train and grow the production capacity of women farmers in Shpati, Albania. These members of a women’s beekeeping association are experienced in beekeeping, one of the area’s traditional economic activities. Project participants attended trainings in entrepreneurship, farm-business management, and advertising/public relations. In addition, the project purchased beekeeping equipment to ease beeswax production and help prepare bee bread. The machinery will help produce food for the bees while ensuring a better-quality product that can compete with commercial versions.
