Pure Bee Honey from Indigenous People-One of Grassroots Foundation assisted Project

Honey has been found to have medicinal qualities, particularly when applied topically to burns, wounds, and ulcers. Research has shown that people who eat honey have higher levels of polyphenols in their blood indicating that honey has antioxidant properties. It has a distinctive flavor which leads many people to prefer it over sugar and other sweeteners. The antimicrobial properties of honey prevent microbial growth in the moist healing environment created. Unlike other topical antiseptics, honey causes no tissue damage: in animal studies it has been demonstrated histologicaly that it actually promotes the healing process. It has a direct nutrient effect as well as drawing lymph out to the cells by osmosis. Honey is used in bronchial catarrh. Also, it is used in the diet for liver conditions and particularly in chronic liver diseases.

Ceylon's endangered vedda hunter-gatherers have a famous honey collecting ritual that is one the oldest practices on the island. This honey is created by the small Makshika bee, which uses the nectar of ayurwedic medicinal flowers that grow in the Maduru Oya sanctuary. It has a unique taste that is light and dry natured, and possesses immense medicinal properties. It is something special, only for connoisseurs, and is just too rare to waste.

The Grassroots Foundation a Non Governmental Organization is carrying out a project to sell Pure Natural Bees Honey with indigenous medicinal flower nectar from "Kotabakiniya" a virgin forest in the Maduru Oya National Sanctuary in Sri Lanka. The main objective of this project is that to help and protect the traditions of the endangered indigenous veddas of Dambana.

Dambana village located in the dry zone and main livelihoods of the veddha people are hunting, fishing, chena cultivation and collecting Bees honey from the jungle. They collect bees honey and sell to collectors for daily income. This community was being exploited by middlemen who purchased their Ayurvedic medicine and bees honey for low rates, gaining huge profit. On Request of the Veddha chieftain Vanniyale Aththo, the Grassroots Foundation has been supporting to develop their livelihood. Grassroots foundation is giving them a helping hand giving information on market linkages and ways of maintaining the quality of these products.

According to the agreement with Vedda community all bee honey produced by them are now bought by the Grassroots Foundation. The foundation staff are monitoring hygienically collection of this honey and storing them with dry place. Every batch has been sending to Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) to ensure quality. After that packaging and Branding them and market to reputed business ventures such as ODEL, Bay leaf, Barefoots, Dwellings, Cargills, Gandhara. Due to this step they were earning three times more now than earlier.

Grassroots foundation is also encouraging the forest communities to prevent the destruction of the Brood nests of Bee colonies which is environment friendly & preserving the continuity of the honey bees which will be extinct if brood nests continue to be destroyed. To support this process Grassroots foundation has given 25 bee's clay plots as initial phase with the advice and guidance of Dr.R.W.K.Punchiheva who is senior entomologist at University of Ruhuna. While assisting to these activities Grassroots foundation try to support not only ensure veddha's livelihood but also ensure the environment conservation.

Bee honey programme supporters

1. Sansoni Warehouse Ltd. (Baerfoot (Pvt) Ltd.)
No.704, Galle Road, Colombo 03.

2. Baryleaf (Pvt) Ltd.
No.79, Geregoris Road, Colombo 07.

3. Worldstar Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, (Dwellings)
No.52, Green Path, Colombo 3.

4. Gandhara Crafts and Artifacts (Pvt) Ltd,
No.28, Stratford Avenue, Colombo 06.

5. Odel (Pvt) Ltd,
No.475/32, Kotte Road, Rajagiriya, Borella.

6. Cargills Ceylon PLC,
No.40, York Street, Colombo 01.

Related Articles
Article on the medicinal qualities of bee honey
Bee Honey Leaflet
Grassroots Exhibition Stall at BMICH
Healthy life: Let's learn from Veddahs

We invite you to join us help these groups of less privileged communities whilst being environment friendly too.

A bottle of 300g @ Rs.495.00

Collection point: 32/1, Castle Street, Colombo 8.

Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

Contact: Suresh or Pinsiri on Tel. No: +94 11 2695845

TO ORDER

Email:cp@grassroots.lk

Fax : +94 11 2695846/+94 11 4741722

Web :www.grassroots.lk