HONEYED SMILE

Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, beams as he holds aloft a framed illustration of the insect that has contributed to Ethiopia’s fame – the honey bee. Colleagues looking on also smile, during the launch at the UNECA on Thursday, March 3, 2016, of a five-year project to mobilize youth in the beekeeping and silkworm farming. The project, with planned expenditure of 220 million Br, has been designed by the International Centre of Insect Physiology & Ecology, and is supported by the MasterCard Foundation. Close to 12,500 out-of-school youth between 18 and 24, in Gojjam, Amhara Regional State, and Goma Gofa of the Southern region, are meant to benefit from this programme dubbed the Young Entrepreneurs in Honey and Silk Initiative.