Maybe I should have titled this post: 'How not to setup a
social business'
One of the things I do in life is
beekeeping. It's the main part of my job. I have to say: I love it.
I love the social impact it can have if done in the right way. Beekeeping can be practiced in most rural
communities and therefore can be used to lift people out of poverty.
I also
love it because it is green and environmentally responsible. It's about looking after the
world. Keeping and making it a better place for the next generation. I also
love the bees. The intensity and the wildness of the hive life.
I would be
a great bee. Being close together with other people. Literally rubbing against
each other - that is the bees, not me and other people.
I came up
with a great plan to help some farm workers in the Sunday's river valley out of
their poverty with a beekeeping project. I won't go in all the details, but it
comes down to me training aspiring beekeepers - to me providing the equipment -
to me buying all the honey...
I phoned
one of my farmer friend - Johnny - to share my plan. Over the phone I gave
this guy my whole idea for the trial I want to run including all my wonderful plans to
grow this project. I talked and talked... Johnny was very
graceful and allowed me to finish my whole story. He then proceeded to say:
"Michiel, I like the idea of trying to do something in the community, but
wouldn't it be a good idea to come out to the farm and talk to the people
you want to work with."
It hit me.
My first reaction was defensive. "So you don't like my
great idea..."
My second reaction was one of introverted pensive
consideration dressed in a bit of shame. These projects are not about me - or
the I at the start of each paragraph.
These projects are about real people. People with good and bad
ideas, people who have a voice (which is already to often marginalized), People
who know their community a lot better than I do.
It made me think about a water charity in Africa
who dug a well for a tribe. They dug the well on the tribes holy ground so when
the charity left the well was never used.
With my 'European' results focused mindset I feel people
should just follow my quickest way to the result I want. After all I am the
beekeeper.
That simple question has made me
reassess my approach to social community business projects.
Earlier this week I was invited to
go to the Ciskei
to look in developing some social business ventures in rural communities. Again
my first reaction was to write some plans for the people there to follow, but I
have resisted. I am not going to write plans yet. I will go back and spend time
with the people of the communities I want to serve. And I will go there with an
open mind ready to learn from them.
Be the creative driving force in
the world you were mend to be, but make sure you keep people at the center of
the projects you undertake.
Be bold
Be brave and patient
Be humble
Talk and listen and listen some
more...
