The Challenge

Bees and other wild pollinators are small but mighty. They support biodiversity, healthy ecosystems, and much of the food we eat—yet their populations are rapidly declining. On islands like Kefalonia and Lefkada, where ecosystems are already fragile and economic activity is closely linked to tourism, the loss of pollinators threatens both natural balance and long-term sustainability.

Children and communities in the Ionian islands often have limited opportunities to learn about pollinators in hands-on, joyful ways. Protecting bees requires not only scientific knowledge, but curiosity, creativity, and everyday action.

Activities

Be(e)onian is an environmental education and micro-restoration project that invites children, teachers, and communities in Lefkada and Kefalonia to learn from bees and act for them.

• Children build insect hotels, create seed bombs, observe pollinators through art and storytelling, and share their discoveries with other schools.
• Teachers receive practical tools to continue activities, while public seed-bombing events turn learning into collective action and bring pollinator-friendly plants back into public spaces.
• Around 1,000 seed bombs will help restore flowering habitats with the participation of local residents.

Project Update

The project has been busy in Kefalonia bringing people together to protect pollinators:

🏨🐝 Young Guardians: Students from the elementary school of Sami got hands-on, learning about pollination and building “insect hotels” to give our tiny friends a safe place to rest.

📚👩‍🏫 Empowering Teachers: 12 Educators from Sami and Argostoli joined workshops to learn how to keep the buzz alive in their classrooms.

🌸💣 Community Blooms: With the lovely support of the Municipality of Sami, the community came together to create seed bombs, ready to bring more wildflowers to our landscapes.

The response has been so natural and positive that other local communities are already asking how they can bring Be(e)onian to their own villages.

It’s clear that when we protect our bees, we’re not just helping nature—we’re bringing people together. We are excited to see how this beautiful project continues to grow across the islands!

About our partner

The project is implemented by The Bee Camp, a non-profit organization in Greece that aims on the protection of bees and urban pollinators. The Bee Camp core team consists of young women, experienced in participatory education, inspiring biodiversity awareness and community-based action.