I discovered an amazing secret treasure map, that I am going to share with you! A map of 95 local honey producers across Australia. It is a community run map supporting local bees and their stewards.  The site only lists producers who sell 100% Australian bee products, with no added imported ingredients. Take a look here.

I met Jo the beekeeper this week, selling her own local honey – great!  You might be able to already tell that I love local honey – BUT the most interesting part to Jo’s story, is she is selling honey to fund her real passion…..running photographic workshops and courses in developing countries.  Jo travels to Burma, Nepal and India, runs photography workshops and leaves donated digital cameras behind for the participants.

Jo uses her bees, hives and honey to help fund the program.

Do you have an old digital camera shoved in a drawer you no longer want or need? Do you have memory cards you don’t use or any kind of surplus camera accessory? Do you LOVE honey?  Then get in contact with Jo, who is constantly collecting any working and unwanted camera products to use in her courses, and currently, Jo has so much honey she has run out of bottles!

Jo teaching a class in Mallika, a women’s co-op in Hyderabad, October 2014

Many of the participants in Jo’s workshops are from disadvantaged backgrounds, some have disabilities and many have never even held a camera before. To date Jo has taken about 80 cameras into Asia and taught about 450 children and adults photographic skills.

Cameras for Asia urgently need the following items:
– any working digital camera
– SD cards / camera memory cards
– AA batteries or any camera battery
– camera bags, cords and chargers welcome (even if not attached to a camera)
– any other accessory
– funds to help us pay for excursions, exhibitions, prints, transport and other costs

You can buy Jo’s honey, and/or donate your unwanted cameras to 15 Eagle Terrace, Auchenflower QLD 4066 or contact Jo on 0415 166 967 or email camerasforasia@gmail.com

To learn more, follow the project on facebook or visit the Camera’s for Asia website.