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Lebanese women find sweet success with beekeeping

Beekeeping, once a niche hobby, is flourishing in Lebanon, providing women with a means of surviving the financial crisis.

beekeeper
Lebanese beekeeper Nahida Reslan Salha poses with her bees during a beekeeping training workshop in Beqaa in this undated photo. — Rodayna Raydan

For some women, beekeeping has become the answer to Lebanon's troubled economy.

In an interview with Al-Monitor, beekeeper Nancy Assaf Naji, told the story of how she and her husband run a honey business together. 

"My husband's family has been beekeepers for generations, so I became curious to learn about it," Naji told Al-Monitor. "Originally, I was an accountant, but I’m now a beekeeper too.” She said the bees show her the charm of Lebanon's landscapes and she talks lovingly about the mountainside and her visits to the fields where her hives live. “It feels therapeutic,” Naji said.

Their business, Flavorit, is recognized for its high-quality honey and attractive packaging. It is a leading honey supplier in Rachaya Al Wadi, in the Bekaa region. Naji hopes to export honey to the international market.

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