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Our Vision Our vision is of an ethical, equitable, inclusive and progressive society in which people live with dignity and have power over their own lives
Our Mission Our mission is to enable and empower communities to be independent by facilitating equitable access to opportunities, through Economic Development, Human Capital Development and Social Protection programs.
Our Values Hashoo Foundation draws on the values of equity, inclusivity, transparency, innovation, integrity, respect and fulfillment.
About Us Hashoo Foundation is a progressive and dynamic non-‐profit organization, leading the way in human development and poverty alleviation by implementing viable economic development, educational and capacity building programs in Pakistan. Hashoo Foundation USA works locally to raise awareness, promote intercultural relations and understanding, as it builds partnerships with other non-‐profit and professional organizations, private sector and concerned individuals to promote the Foundation’s programs and increase its fundraising capacity to help support the Hashoo Foundation’s Economic Development, Human Capital Development and Social Protection programs.
Hashoo Foundation USA is a non-‐profit organization under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code EIN 20-‐0748173 and is registered with the following registration authorities:
-‐ Trust Act 1882 vide Registration No 661 Sub-‐Registrar T-‐Div II Karachi dated 16/07/1988 -‐ Exempted from Taxes with approval by CBR under SRO 169(1)/2005 notified/published in Gazette of Pakistan dated 15/02/2005 under clause (3) of clause (58) -‐ Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy 2011 registration -‐ Charities Commission in the UK
Project Completion Report Women Empowerment through Honeybee Farming “Plan Bee”
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Contents
Acronyms .................................................................................................................................................... 3
1-‐ Project Goal ......................................................................................................................................... 5
2-‐ Background ......................................................................................................................................... 5
3-‐ Objectives ............................................................................................................................................ 5
4-‐ Project Activities Under Taken ........................................................................................................... 6
5.1 Community Mobilization ............................................................................................................ 6
5.3 Selection of the Master Trainers ................................................................................................ 8
5.3 Development of Training Schedule ............................................................................................ 8
5.4 Post Training Evaluation ........................................................................................................... 10
5.5 Monitoring Visits to the Project ............................................................................................... 10
5.6 Distribution of Certificates, Beehives and Production Kits ...................................................... 11
5.7 Formation of the Cluster Based Association ............................................................................ 12
5.8 Value Chain Development (VCD) Training ................................................................................ 12
5.9 Branding and Marketing of the Honey ..................................................................................... 12
5.10 Packaging of Honey ................................................................................................................... 13
5-‐ Output and Achievements of the Project ......................................................................................... 13
6-‐ Outcomes of the Project ................................................................................................................... 13
7-‐ Linkages Building and Visibility ........................................................................................................ 13
8-‐ Risks/ Challenges and Assumptions ................................................................................................. 13
9-‐ Lessons Learned ................................................................................................................................ 14
10-‐ Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Annexure A -‐ Training Schedule ............................................................................................................... 16
Annexure B -‐ Budget Summary ................................................................................................................ 18
Annexure C-‐ Profile of the Trainees ......................................................................................................... 19
Annexure D-‐ Beneficiaries Profile Template ............................................................................................ 20
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Acronyms CBO Community Based Organization
GB Gilgit-‐ Baltistan
HF Hashoo Foundation
HF USA Hashoo Foundation USA
IP Implementing Partner
LSO Local Support Organization
VCD Value Chain Development
CSOs Civil Society Organizations
CBOs Community Based Organization
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Project Summary
Project Title Women Empowerment through Honey Bee Farming “Plan Bee” Project
Implementing partner Hashoo Foundation
Funded by Houston Student USA led by Klein Forest High School PISA
Area of Implementation Silpi Balla, Golodass District Ghizer (Gilgit-‐Baltistan)
Number of Direct Beneficiaries Twenty (20) women
Number of Indirect Beneficiaries One hundred & twenty three (123) family members
Number of Children in School Sixty three (63)
Number of Beehives Distributed Sixty (60) beehives & twenty (20) production kits distributed
Honey Produced in 1st year 260 Kg (573.2 lbs)
Income Earned in 1st Year PKR. 260,000 (US $2,600)
Name of Business Group Sumbul Honey Business Group
Name of Honey Brand Sumbul-‐Pure Natural Honey
Project Director Muhammad Sadiq, HF-‐Pakistan
Technical Support Cristal Montañéz Baylor, Executive Director, HF-‐USA
Project Manager Kamal Uddin, HF-‐Pakistan
Implementing Team BJ Shams and Garee Khan, HF-‐Pakistan Gilgit Office
Project Budget US $8,000
Project Period One year (January 2014-‐ December 2014)
Country Pakistan
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1-‐ Project Goal The overall goal of the project was to increase the income of twenty (20) poor women through building their capacity as honey bee farmers and distribution of sixty (60) beehives with production kits among them.
2-‐ Background Houston students are playing an important role in helping alleviate poverty in GB. Hashoo Foundation USA has provided Houston students with a platform to engage in sustainable micro-‐enterprises to help women become self-‐sufficient as they develop a compassionate and philanthropic perspective of the global community. In November 2013, the Culture Shock Charity Show for Plan Bee led by Klein Forest High School PISA students, brought together over seventy students from Lee High School Interact Club & ROTC, Xavier Educational Academy Interact Club, Clements High School Interact Club and Sharpstown International School Senior Capstone International, University of St. Thomas Social Entrepreneurship Program, Community College Initiative (CCI) Program students, volunteers and community organizations worked together to put on a truly international Show. The students and participants representing 22 countries with diverse cultural backgrounds and faiths, including Albania, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Venezuela and United States worked together to raise funds to help empower in honey bee farming.
The students awarded HF a grant of US $8,000 to train twenty (20) poor women from Silpi Balla, in District Ghizer in beekeeping skills. On completion of the training sixty (60) beehives and twenty (20) production kits were distributed amongst the new trainees. The trainees extended their gratitude to the Houston students for the generous contribution to help improve the living standard of women in the remote areas of GB and recognized the efforts of Hashoo Foundation for arranging the training in this remote area.
Honey bee farming is a unique area where Hashoo Foundation has strong capacity. The Foundation facilitates the trainings and Value Chain Development (VCD), organization of business groups, distribution of beehives and production kits, provides innovative branding and marketing ideas and links the trainees with the market. The project contributes the HF’s overall economic development strategy in the target area. It has helped women become self-‐sustained and independent. The Mountain Honey brand produced by “Plan Bee” beneficiaries is now being supplied to Serena, Marriott, and Pearl-‐Continental Hotels and to a range of domestic supermarkets across Pakistan.
3-‐ Objectives The objective is to empower women through the replication of Houston Student USA successful enterprise models established in the remote areas of GB, with three pronged broad based objectives:
1. Organize, mobilize and train 20 rural women beneficiaries in bee farming. 2. Provide productions kits and technical assistance required for bee farming ensuring economy of
scale and facilitate beehives management, processing, quality assurance, storage and transportation.
3. Facilitate marketing linkages for selling the product in the lucrative markets of big cities of Pakistan, as well as overseas if possible, to maximize benefits to women beneficiaries and communities at large which will have multidimensional socio-‐economic impact in the targeted areas.
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4-‐ Project Activities Under Taken 5.1 Community Mobilization Hashoo Foundation’s regional team initiated dialogue with the targeted communities in collaboration with the Sungum Local Support Organization (Sungum LSO) in Silpi Balla, Golodass Ghizer. The communities expressed a keen desire for the beekeeping training in order to enhance their production capacity. HF delegated the responsibility for mobilization and identification of the needy and deserving women for honey bee micro enterprise.
5.2 Selection of the Trainees
During the identification and selection process, HF field team in collaboration with the Sungum LSO followed predefined selection criteria to reach out to the most vulnerable families, giving priority to orphans, disabled, widows and other potential beneficiaries.
HF and Sungum LSO identified targeted women through a participatory selection process. Initially a meeting was held with the women organizations and community based organizations in village Silpi Balla, Golodass, District Ghizer to brief participants about the importance of micro enterprise development and honey bee farming. They were informed that beekeeping was an income generating activity with an incubation period of five months, which could be undertaken at cottage level, as it did not require heavy investments or infrastructure. The participants were also informed that congenial climatic conditions and availability of bee flora at selected locations of Ghizer District was an excellent opportunity for beekeeping. The participants highlighted the need for an onsite training with all the essential equipment.
After an initial meeting and the analysis of the baseline survey and recommendations made by the community leaders and Sungum LSO, twenty (20) trainees were identified. The following specific selection criteria were employed for their selection:
-‐ The trainees should be women from vulnerable families. -‐ Trainee should have the potential to build a small entrepreneur. -‐ The selected person should have an interest in honey beekeeping. -‐ Be able to play positive role as liaison between institutions and communities.
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5.3 Selection of the Master Trainers For the last five to six years, HF has produced highly skilled women master trainers in honey beekeeping and created opportunities for these local master trainers to impart their skills. Two women master trainers, Ms. Shamim Ara and Ms. Amin Bano, were hired to conduct the theoretical and practical training. The trainers conducted the training in a very professional manner using interactive sessions and practical approach.
5.3 Development of Training Schedule A consensus was built for implementation of the project and a training schedule was finalized with selected trainees and their communities. Based on mutual agreement, the training on honey bee farming was scheduled from May 5 to May 11, 2014, and a training on VCD was schedule from July 05 to July 07, 2014. Both trainings were conducted as per planned schedule. The topics covered as per planned training schedule are included in Annexure A.
Ms. Shamim Ara Master Trainer Ms. Amin Bano Master Trainer
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5.4 Post Training Evaluation Post training evaluation was conducted to assess the learning level of the trainees and to seek their feedback on overall training environment. Following questions were asked to assess the training:
− How much did you learn from this training? − Did you easily understand the training language? − Were you satisfied from the presentation skills of the trainers? − How was the practical work and to what extent you found it interesting? − Was the training duration sufficient? − How was the overall training environment and arrangement?
The beekeepers stated that this was the first time in their life they were exposed to the bees and witnessed the honey production. Some of the trainees were of the view that honey is the feces of bees and admitted their limited knowledge about the bees. It was fascinating for them to learn how the bees work in team and how the queen, guards and workers have predefined roles. During the training, the beekeepers learned about the process of honey production and uses of honey for different purposes.
They also stated that they learned new skills and activities, which enabled them to do something different from their daily activities, including how to run a business and earn an income. One of the trainees said, “this is an unique opportunity for us to meet new people around and we are excited to visit other villages along with beehives. We have never been to other places”.
The overall feedback was very positive. The trainees were very happy from the given opportunity and were excited to travel to other places in group to extract honey in the field. They became more confident since now they will be able to contribute to their household income.
5.5 Monitoring Visits to the Project Monitoring is the key mechanism to gauge the project effectiveness and to take the prerequisite measures if progress is below the expectations. HF enterprise development team visited the project area on July 22, 2014, met the trainees and held a daylong session to discuss the progress and challenges of the project. Local stakeholders and members of the Sungum LSO also attended the meeting. Some fruitful ideas for improvements were shared, and they were cognizant about the shifting of the beehives during the winter and rainy season. Sungum LSO ensured the beekeepers to extend their support during shifting of beehives to down the country.
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5.6 Distribution of Certificates, Beehives and Production Kits
Closing ceremony of the training was held in Silpi Balla, Golodass in District Ghizer. Mr. Bj Shams HF GB and Mr. Kamal Uddin Program Manager Enterprise Development HF participated in this ceremony. Sixty (60) beehives and twenty (20) production kits were distributed among 20 trainees. The trainees were pleased with the training and thanked Houston Student USA and HF for providing them with such valuable skills and the inputs to help improve the living standards in this marginalized community.
Figure 1 Beekeepers members of the Sumbul Honey Business Group funded by Houston Students USA
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5.7 Formation of the Cluster Based Association
The twenty (20) trained women beekeepers were organized as Business Group named Sumbul Honey Business Group and registered as Sungum Local Support Organization (LSO). Now they are working under the umbrella of the Sungum LSO.
5.8 Value Chain Development (VCD) Training Mr. Kamal Uddin facilitated Value Chain Development (VCD) Training for the 20 women of the Sumbul Honey Business Group in Silpi Balla, Golodass in Ghizer. The training aimed to make the beekeepers aware of basic knowledge of value addition techniques and VCD steps, including quality assurance processes, packaging, and marketing, while maintaining supply of the honey-‐made products in a systematic manner. The participants learned how value addition could help them increase the demand of their product and expand the market of their honey. The beekeepers learned how improving their product could help increase their income.
5.9 Branding and Marketing of the Honey
Women of the Sumbul Honey Business Group developed their own honey brand named Sumbul-‐Honey. Since there were not many brands of honey available in the local market, the business group received a positive response from nearby towns and villages. Initially, HF helped in the developing, branding and marketing of the honey. Now the women are independently selling their Sumbul-‐Honey to the market. The Sungam LSO is providing technical assistance to the women of the Sumbul Honey Business Group and sharing their progress and challenges with HF to strengthen the women based enterprises.
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5.10 Packaging of Honey
The Sumbul-‐Honey is processed locally and packed in food graded plastic jars, which is available in two different packaging sizes, 500 gm. and 1kg. Beekeepers sell the honey to the local people, since there is a great demand for the honey in the local market.
5-‐ Output and Achievements of the Project -‐ 20 women identified, mobilized and trained. -‐ 60 beehives distributed (3 per beekeeper). -‐ 20 production kits distributed. -‐ 260 kg (625 lbs) honey produced and sold honey in the local market by the beneficiaries @ PKR
1,000 (US $10) per kg. -‐ Income of PKR. 260,000 (US $2,600) earned by the beneficiaries in 2014. -‐ 63 children have access to quality education. -‐ 123 indirect beneficiaries. -‐ Women’s involvement in decision-‐making increased in two levels i.e. at household level and
community level. -‐ Extra income was spent on health care and food.
6-‐ Outcomes of the Project The project has helped improve the socio-‐economic status of the targeted women in District Ghizer. Honey bee farming is a lucrative income generating enterprise, natural and manmade flora is in abundance and available for more than six months of the year in GB. The immediate earning from the Beehives within three to four months is another important factor that contributes to economic sustainability of the beneficiaries.
-‐ Income of PKR. 260,000 (US $2,600) earned by the beneficiaries this year. -‐ 63 children have access to quality education. -‐ 123 indirect beneficiaries. -‐ Women’s involvement in decision-‐making increased. -‐ Extra income was spent on health care and food.
7-‐ Linkages Building and Visibility HF conducted regular monitoring visits to the project area and consulted all the stakeholders to gauge the progress of the project. Additionally, HF developed linkages with local civil society organizations (CSOs), local support organizations (LSOs), community based organization (CBOs) and Government line department to make the project more viable and sustainable. Local media and District authorities highly appreciated HF’s women initiatives and highlighted the need of such intervention for poverty reduction.
8-‐ Risks, Challenges and Assumptions Honey bee farming carries natural risks globally, however, the objective of securing a better livelihood for target beneficiaries far outweighed these risks. Especially when involving the community based employment that could increase the source of income and livelihood in the remote valley of District Ghizer.
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There was no social risk during the implementation of this project, as HF has a good track record of extensive honey bee farming and micro-‐enterprise development. Similarly marketing of honey was not a risk, as HF linked the beekeepers with the local market.
Before implementing the project, the Hashoo Foundation team conducted a series of meetings with all the political and religious leaders in order to prevent any hurdles during the project life cycle. Keeping in mind the environmental risks, Hashoo Foundation developed business group of beneficiaries for collective shifting of the beehives to reduce transportation cost and other risks. Apart from this, HF signed an agreement with the suppliers to assist the beneficiaries, shifting their beehives to down the country in winter and taking beehives back to the project site during harvesting season.
Initially, there were some social barriers since it was very difficult to mobilize women due to cultural hindrances and male dominancy. HF curtailed these challenges through engaging community elders and relevant stakeholders during the beneficiary’s selection process.
9-‐ Lessons Learned • HF found that building capacity of the marginalized people, particularly women, not only
provided them encouragement and hope to improve their socio-‐economic conditions, but also enhanced their decision making skills.
• Women have great potential to benefit from income generating initiatives and utilize the knowledge gained through different capacity building programs to upgrade their businesses.
• Honey beekeeping is a model of civil society enterprise development. Beekeepers know the way bees are organized and have specific role to play in honey production. With a clear understanding of teamwork, in specific tasks, to achieve desired results, participation of every individual can lead to an organized society.
• HF realized that the trained beekeepers can play an important role in creating an enabling environment in the society and can help to create diversity and tolerance, which are the milestones of a civil society. Beekeepers are more confident and motivated to become a social change agent through such micro entrepreneurial initiatives. Value Chain Development of the product/service is an integral part of the civil society development and value chain of the honey business might promote socio-‐cultural and civil society sustainability.
10-‐ Conclusion The fact remains that women represent 51% of the population of Pakistan and their contribution to total family income is very small. This project provided an opportunity for women to earn livelihood for their families, undertaking entrepreneurial initiatives in honey bee farming. HF found that expanding income-‐generating programs to low-‐income families had strengthened the socio economic conditions of the targeted communities and helped alleviate poverty. So far, the income of the families facilitated with beekeeping has increased by 25%. These families have moved above the poverty line. Additionally, the project provided an indirect benefit to the families of the new beekeepers, since they are using a percentage of their income to pay for their children’s education, health care and improving their nutrition. Some of the trained beekeepers are now working with HF as Master Trainers are helping HF in replicating its Plan Bee model in other remote areas of the District.
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The Hashoo Foundation’s team and the beekeepers members of the Sumbul-‐Honey Business Group are very thankful to the Houston Student USA for their financial contribution to empower 20 more women in honey bee farming and enabled them to earn an income to help improve their quality of life, provide education to their children and better nutrition and health to their families.
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Annexure A -‐ Training Schedule Days Time & Date Activities Day 1
Time : 9:00 – 4:00 Date : 05-‐05-‐2014
• Introduction of the participants • Introduction of Hashoo Foundation • Purposes of the training course • Introduction of trainers • Tea Break • Expectations of the trainees from the course • Conduct the pretest about beekeeping • Lunch break • Identify major beekeeping problems of the area
group work • Honey bee & its biology • Behaviors of honey bees & its activities
Day 2
Time : 9:00 – 4:00 Date : 06-‐05-‐2014
• Follow up and evaluation of day first • Hive management • Site selection for apiary • Hives and its different types • Attract bees to hives • Tea break • Tools used in beekeeping • Apiary management • Lunch & pray break • Group discussion • Moving colonies • Post test
Days 3
Time : 9:00 – 4:00 Date : 07-‐05-‐2014
• Follow up and evaluation of previous day • Winter management of honey bees • Summer management • Tea break • How to make more Honey from a colony • Group work and presentation • Lunch break • Group discussion • To share the experience of local beekeepers
Days 4
Time : 9:00 – 4: 00 Date : 08-‐05-‐2014
• Follow up of the previous day • Common honey bees pests & their control • Biological control of honey bee pets • Honey diseases • Tea break • Control measures • Medication and treatment of diseased colony • Lunch break • Field visit
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• Practical training on the farm site. Day 5
Time : 9:00 – 4: 00 Date : 09-‐05-‐2014
• Follow up of previous day • Swarming and its behavior • Swarming preparation • Tea break • Swarm management • Swarm control, capture and removal • Lunch break • Role of honey bee as pollinator • Field visit • Practical training on the farm site
Day 6
Time : 9:00 – 4: 00 Date : 10-‐05-‐2014
• Inspection of the colony • Tea break • Group work and presentation • Artificial feeding techniques • Lunch break • Inspection of the colony • Important bee floras of the area • Practical training on the farm site
Day 7
Time : 9:00 – 4: 00 Date : 11-‐05-‐2014
• Recap of the previous day • Basic management techniques • Tea break • Practical training on the farm site • Lunch break • Post training evaluation • Formal closing of the training
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Annexure B -‐ Budget Summary Act. Code
Particular Activities Base Quantity Total Amount PKR
Total Amount USD
1.0 Baseline Survey & Mobilization Cost
Trainee 20 20,000 200
2.0 Honey Bee Farming Training Cost (One week)
Trainee 20 70,000 700
3.0 Honey Value Chain Development Training (3 days)
Trainee 20 35,000 350
4.0 Procurement and Distribution of Beehives & Production Kits
Production Kits
60 600,000 6000
5.0 Branding, Monitoring & Administrative Cost
Lump sum 1 75,000 750
Total Project Operational Budget
800,000
8,000
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Annexure C-‐ Profile of the Trainees Sr. #
Name Gender # of Family Members
# of School Going Children
1. Bulbul Shereen Female 8 6
2. Nana Gul Female 6 3
3. Bibi Gulshan Female 5 2
4. Jan Bi Bi Female 6 2
5. Sanam Bibi Female 3 0
6. Gul Mahoot Female 5 1
7. Sakina Female 6 1
8. Sanjoor Female 7 4
9. Meher Perveen Female 6 4
10. Ashrafi Female 7 5
11. Shah Begum Female 6 4
12. Reema Shaheen Female 9 7
13. Fuk Kai Female 7 3
14. Rajila Bano Female 5 1
15. Saleema Female 6 4
16. Abida Bano Female 8 5
17. Verry Female 6 3
18. Madina Female 4 2
19. Gulshan Female 8 3
20. Rashmeen Female 5 3
G. Total 123 63
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Annexure D-‐ Beneficiaries Profile Template REGISTRATION/SURVEY FORM Personal Information: Name of Trainee*: __________________________ D/O or W/O _________________________ Gender*: Male Female Marital Status* Married Single* Date of Birth*: _________________ NIC No _____________________ Qualification: _________ Village: __________________ Region: __________________ Nationality* _________________ Telephone No: __________________________ Mobile No: _____________________________ Address*: _____________________________________________________________________ Family Information: S # Member Name Gender Date Of
Birth Marital Status
Relation Occupation Qualification
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Economic & Transport Information: S. No Source of Income Gross Monthly
Pay/Income Annual Income Transport Type
1
2
3
Beneficiary Information: S. No Expense Type Annual Expenses
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Declaration: I-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ D/O, W/O -‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ a citizen of Pakistan hereby solemnly declare that, I have written absolutely correct information, if proven false or any of my deeds during the training results in harming the good will or property of Hashoo Foundation or anywhere I would be undergoing training, I would be held liable for it. Signature of Trainee/ Bee keeper Prepared by: _____________ Date: __________________ Signature:_______________
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