MONIELO has entered into a partnership with a beekeeping project that has just started: importing premium honey from the Democratic Republic of Congo — Kongo Central province — into the United States. The importing company is called Maison Louvila LLC.
What drew us to this project
- Helping to develop the beekeeping sector in Congo.
- Helping to protect the Congolese forest from deforestation and charcoal burning.
- Schooling and supporting other children who need it, in Kinshasa and at the beekeeping sites.
Lemfu, our main beekeeping site
It is in Lemfu, in Kongo Central, that our most important beekeepers work: it is our main beekeeping site, and the starting point of every collection round.
Ketshia arriving in Lemfu.
The people behind the project
One dollar per litre for the children
For every litre of honey bought from local producers, Maison Louvila LLC pays one dollar to MONIELO. The more the sector grows, the more children we can support: the link between beekeeping and schooling is direct.
Why the forest is at the heart of the project
In Kongo Central, cutting trees to produce charcoal is one of the leading causes of forest loss. Beekeeping offers an alternative: it provides families with an income for as long as the forest is left standing. Hives need flowering trees, and the bees in turn pollinate the neighbouring crops.
Income that stays where it is earned
The honey is bought directly from Congolese beekeepers, with no middlemen, then exported to the United States. The added value stays with the producers, and a share of the revenue goes to the children supported by MONIELO.
Congolese honey presented in New York
In the United States, the honey is packed and sold under the Maison Louvilabrand. The origin shown on the label is that of the batch’s collection site: the first jars presented in New York came from the Mayumbe forest.
The partner: Maison Louvila LLC
Maison Louvila LLC is a US company that imports and distributes premium Congolese honey in the United States.