Two sisters have raised funds to create a flower seed vending machine in a bid to ensure the existence of wild bee species.
Louisa Boucheloukh, 9, and her 13-year-old sister Zohra from Hanover managed to collect EUR 600 (GBP 530) to finance the production of their invention.
The automatic vendor – which features small bags containing seeds of flowers which are popular among so-called wild bees and cost EUR 0.5 (GBP 0.4) a piece – will be placed at different libraries in Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony.
The public library of Vahrenwald district recently became the first institution to host the vending machine, which should make it easier for citizens to sow flowers in their back gardens.
The term wild bees describes solitary bees such as carpenter bees and mason bees. These species do not produce beeswax or honey. However, they play a crucial role in ensuring healthy and balanced biodiversity by pollinating a wide range of plants and flowers.
The flower seeds box is just the latest in a series of environmentalist concepts the dynamic duo has come up with ever since they started looking for a new sensible activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Louisa and Zohra – who have around 1,000 followers on Instagram – have managed to spark other children’s enthusiasm for the subject but also met local politicians to underline the urgency of their cause.
Their relentless engagement has won them the 2022 Youth Nature Protection Prize, an award conceived by the Lower Saxon branch of NABU, an environmentalist association.
After accepting the award, the siblings wrote on Instagram: “We’ve got many more great ideas. Thanks to anyone who has supported us!”
Louisa and Zohra also featured in this year’s edition of the KIKA Award, a ceremony hosted by children’s programme broadcaster KIKA.
The duo’s initiatives have enjoyed coverage by various local media.
The sisters – who presented their own ‘Bee Saver Sisters’ t-shirts earlier this year – point out: “If there were no bees, no humans would be around anymore!”
