Bees & Refugees is a London-based environmental justice organisation dedicated to empowering refugee communities through beekeeping. When Gramafilm's creative, Natalie Galvau, discovered their inspiring story, we quickly reached out to support their cause.
This campaign was part of Gramafilm's Magazine initiative - helping trailblazing freelancers, charities & creatives share their stories.
In 2011, founder Ali Alzein left Syria in search of safety. Fleeing conflict and oppression under al-Assad he relocated to the UK, aspiring to build a secure life.
Having learned basic beekeeping from his grandfather as a child, he acquired his first back-garden beehive and quickly noticed the benefits on his mental wellbeing. Eager to pass his knowledge on to people who had been through similar experiences he founded Bees and Refugees.
We visited his beekeeping farm, spotlighting the remarkable human story behind this organisation.
The name Bees and Refugees came from the fact that bees and refugees were facing a hostile environment and were dying out. They were two vulnerable groups that were going to work together and support each other.Ali Alzein – Founder, Bees & Refugees
80
Refugees members supported
25000000
Million bees
50
New black bee colonies
Cooking presented an ideal way to kickstart discussions about members unique experiences. It enabled us to shine a light on Bees and Refugees' sustainable honey, all while delving into the rich cultural narratives surrounding food.
We interviewed Bees & Refugee members, talking about meals & memories of home. These meals were then featured in standalone recipe videos.
From fried sesame and honey chicken, to grilled chilli honey courgettes, the meals pay homage to the presenters’ origins, using ingredients and recipes to celebrate their cultures and backgrounds.
If you're interested to read more about this campaign, and discover the recipes in all their mouth-watering detail read more here.
There's always going to be a memory behind a recipe.Ana Tapia – Producer
Bees and Refugees has quickly grown, with beehives springing up in and around London – in schools, corporations and community spaces – supporting refugees and bees through sustainable beekeeping workshops while also selling sustainable honey.
If you’re interested in supporting this amazing charity alongside us, make a bee-line for their website here.
