On my second day in Mbita, I was woken by the sounds of Kenya nature. What exactly does that sound like? Well try listening to goats scratching their bodies on the outside of your room, cows and donkey’s speaking out of boredom and too many roosters proving that they have a might lung capacity. Rude. Besides the animals though, it really is amazing. You hear nothing but nature.
After a quick breakfast, Simon offered to take me into Mbita town to give me a tour of the Women’s Vocational School site and to tag along on some of his business meetings. I happily accepted and I was very interested to see how a typical morning went for him.
Back on the bumpy road, we drove into town to the Lake Victoria Water Company. There we picked up bottles of water for the week (since the other option is rain water…not so clean) and the delicacy of ice. The Company is the only place in town to manufacture ice and sell ice and typically there are no refridgerators, or power in general in Mbita, so ice is rare to come by and a cold drink is welcomed.
The building was of warehouse fashion, and as we entered we followed a worker into his office. There he took out manual sales books and calculated our totals. Once paid, he handed us a gigantic plastic bag. I was not quite sure what this was for as the bag was taped on the outside, a sign of previous use, and was comparable to the size of a black garbage bag.
Soon enough, I learned the use… We were shown these metal bins the size of tables, and as we approached them a worker opened the lid to show us the ice. He took our plastic bag and with a large bucket he loaded the ice in the bag. Sanitary right? Tis the way.
Anyways, our alternate purpose for that stop was for Simon to meet with the Head Deputy Officer of the Fishing Department. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to follow into the meeting, but the man, Michael Ubontu, invited me in. Simon’s reason for the meeting was to form a good relationship with this ‘man of certain power’ as the Women’s Vocational Centre is going to be building fish ponds to create a sustainable business.
Simon started by explaining to Michael the goal of the Centre. They plan on building two ponds where they will grow 5 different products. Talapia fingerlings will be sold to the surrounding Masai fishermen to be used as bait. And along with catfish and the byproducts of selling female breeding fish and large table fish, the system seems to sound as though if successful, sustainable.
Throughout the meeting Michael would continually ask Simon “Why”. Why would you set up the ponds this way? Why would you use this pump? Why do you think the product will be useful? – Simon had answers to all of his questions and as Michael explained, only when there are no more questions to be asked, do you know that you are doing something completely right.
Simon drew out some test plans of the fish pond layouts and Michael, now feeling as though he could correct and pass on knowledge, told Simon different ways of thinking and different ways of construction planning. He even went as far as to take out pictures from other successful fish farming businesses.
By the end of the meeting, Simon asked to set up the next meeting outside of the office and offered Michael dinner. Michael was extremely aware that Simon was buttering him up for more knowledge, but as he was also a proud man, he did not refuse.
As Simon explained to me on the ride home, he was getting a read on how to best use Michael. At first he played naieve, even to the extent of drawing fake plans just to see how Michael would fix them. After he saw that he did have useful information, he set up the next meeting so he can gain the most possible… outside the office.
It was interesting to see the politics of business and the interaction of forming useful relationships. As Simon explained, Michael will be a useful man to know, but his knowledge will come at a cost… Most likely favors for the future.
My lesson learned? Play dumb…get info.
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