Are You Asking the Right Question?

September 12, 2023 – When speaking with organizations contemplating doing business in Africa, far too many still form their picture of Africa from the 1980’s songs “Do They Know it’s Christmas” and “We are the World”.

I like to have a little fun and help them understand the vibrancy and diversity and opportunities in Africa by taking them on a little walk down memory lane…..

Our conversation tends to go like this:

Me:      Do you remember your high school yearbook picture?

Client: Oh, don’t remind me!!

Me:      Do you think you’ve changed since it was taken 30+ years ago?

Client:  Absolutely. Thank goodness!!

Me:      Me too!  Thankfully most things change over the course of 30+ years.
Do you remember when those songs like “Do They Know It’s Christmas” came out?

Client:  Hmm, I’m not sure; maybe the 80s or 90s?

Me:      So, around the time you and I were taking those beautiful high school yearbook pictures?!

Client:  Yea

Me:      Do you think, like you and me, Africa might have changed (for the better) over the past 30+ years?

Client:  Wow. I never thought about it like that.

We Ask the Wrong Questions

We hear “Africa” and immediately equate it with poverty.  And songs – even ones that are well meaning and did manage to raise funds to help those suffering from drought and famine in the 1980s – just add to the image, to the single story we have in our head when we hear “Africa”: poverty.

We equate Africa with poverty, with poor people, with people that need outside help.

The question we ask is: “what causes their poverty?”

That’s the wrong question.

Asking the Better Question

The better question to ask would be: what enables people to create wealth and prosperity in their communities?

The road to wealth and prosperity starts with a job.

I know it’s popular to talk about microfinance and entrepreneurship.  But that’s not the jobs those in poverty need.

Let’s get real – how many of us holding down western corporate jobs with western university degrees, could be successful as entrepreneurs?!

Entrepreneurship is hard; very hard. It’s also risky. Most people either aren’t ready for that or are better suited for a stable jobwhere risk is diffused through a company of people and not all on one person’s shoulders.

So the next time someone mentions Africa, stop yourself before humming the tune of “We are the world…” 

Rather, ask the better questions (which by the way, answers for which cannot be found on Google!!!).

Ask “how can we as a company create jobs that will enable them to create wealth and prosperity for themselves and their communities?”

Since you can’t find the answers on Google, feel free to reach out to me. I love helping people get to know the real Africa, align executive teams on a strategy for Africa and help them build thriving businesses that create win-win-win solutions – for their bottom line, for their employees and for the communities in which they work.  You can reach me at drdeannedevries@icloud.com

Photo:  My own; yes that is my senior year high school yearbook picture…..