Meet the Beekeepers
We source premium Tanzanian honey from the Maasai women beekeepers of Ololosokwan Village, Tanzania. These women have together formed the Namelock Cooperative, taking on beekeeping in the bush of Africa as a means to support themselves and their families. “Namelock” means “something sweet” in the Maa tribal language.
Ololosokwan Village is extremely widespread, so it is actually divided into 4 sub-villages. Since the women manage the hives closest to their home, the Namelock cooperative is regionally divided into 4 groups - Sero, Mairowa A, Mairowa B, and Ololosokwan. Members of each sub-group work together to manage their local apiary.
Mairowa B is otherwise known as “lower Mairowa” because it located downhill of its neighboring sub-village, Mairowa A. Mairowa B is especially large in size, with Maasai mud huts spread across the savannah landscape. Through its center runs a river surrounded by thick acacia forests. It’s dry most of the year, but runs swiftly in the rainy season. The women beekeepers of Mairowa B work together to manage their local apiary, situated in the native forests along the river. The lush location provides excellent conditions for beekeeping and honey production!
Mairowa B Group
The area around the center of the Village is simply named Ololosokwan. There is a small school and a few local shops to purchase basic needs, plus the site of the local traveling market that takes place each Sunday. At the edge of Ololosokwan, on forested hillside of the bush, lies the beekeeping apiary. The women beekeepers of Ololosokwan work together to manage the beehives of the apiary and harvest honey.
