Lisa Khakayi Njenga is the founder of Oh Honey!, an award winning youth-led registered beekeeping business based in Nakuru, Kenya.
The company harvests, produces and sells raw organic honey, and organic products made from beeswax, royal jelly and propolis.
Lisa, a consultant, communications specialist and psychologist, quit her job to establish Oh Honey! focusing on sustainable beekeeping practices.
Here is her story as told by EAFeed.
After completing her secondary school education, Lisa joined United States International University – Africa (USIU-Africa).
However, she fell pregnant while in second year forcing her to take a break from school until 2014 when she resumed her studies.
It was then when Lisa also founded the African Union Youth Club-USIU chapter, “As I poured my heart and soul into leading the African Union Youth Club, our membership grew steadily, attracting nearly 100 members by the second semester,” she said.
Lisa eventually completed her studies in 2018 and graduated with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Journalism.
She later relocated to Ethiopia where she worked as a program assistant for the United Nations (UN) Women.
Lisa was exposed to the world of international relations and diplomacy and engaged with a number of initiatives including African Girls Can Code (AGCD).
“Building upon the skills I acquired during my studies and the passion I developed for youth empowerment, I thrived in my role. Working alongside dedicated professionals in the field,” she said.
Lisa also secured a spot in the African Union Youth Volunteer (AUYV) program after being chosen as one of 100 youth ambassadors from Africa.
Thi program gave her the opportunity to collaborate with various partner organizations within the African Union Commission, showcasing her diverse skill set and passion for change.
Entrepreneurship
Lisa later moved back to Kenya where she started working remotely – this move also saw her settle on the idea of venturing into agribusiness.
She and her partner decided to invest in apiculture as her mother was into it although she practiced beekeeping for domestic use.
“My mum had kept a few bee hives for her own consumption and after some further research and brainstorming with my business partner, we got to learn that bee-keeping is one of the least labor-intensive yet highly lucrative agribusinesses,” Lisa said.
Oh Honey is a producer of organic honey and an array of honey-infused products and innovative hive-based products.
This includes delightful honey-fused chocolates, nourishing beeswax lip balms, scented candles made from beeswax and body butter made from royal jelly and beeswax.
They use eco-friendly reusable packages and utilize specially crafted bamboo lid sticks on honey jars, preserving the honey and slowing down crystallization.
Oh Honey also commits to plant a tree for every product bought to offset its carbon footprint and contribute to environmental conservation.
