Will there ever be, or has there ever been a time when there is no crisis around the world? Probably not. Waves of crises always plague the world – energy, famine, inflation, gender, etc. crises. It’s interesting that the pattern when a crisis hits is usually the same – shock, disgust, nostalgia, acceptance and then life goes on again with a possibility of new innovations to solve the problem.
The response and the life after a crisis hits is also determined by the location and resources at the community’s disposal. The energy crisis is quite topical and I have had the opportunity to experience the impact it has to different people depending on where they are located – I had the pleasure to go back home to the rural village where I was born and grew up, over the festive period.
While there, one of the kids saw donkeys pulling a cart that carried what looked like door frames – and immediately asked if they could go and touch the donkeys. I had to ask the man riding the cart to stop and if he’d be willing to give the kids a donkey-cart ride. We agreed and arranged that we would meet up the next day – but it would have to be late afternoon as during the day it would be very hot.
The next day I’d call him and ask if we could meet at around 6pm, as the kids had been excited about the donkey-cart ride, he said he was having some delays as he had other orders that needed to be fulfilled – a slight flash of irritation and worry came through – I had been looking forward to seeing the kids’ fascination going for the ride. He eventually arrived an hour and half later – he came along with his family.
The reason for his delay was because he needed to make water deliveries to families that have neither running water nor electricity at their houses, as well as deliver bricks as some people were busy with construction projects – his days are mainly filled with water delivery to those clients who don’t have access to water. I was then reminded that priorities are different and that when crises become the norm – complaints will come from relative importance – the gentlemen knew that regardless of me likely paying more for less work for the fun ride, water needed to be delivered to the families that needed it for survival – service over profit!
He had never done a fun ride before, but was very excited about the idea. I also recommended that he should consider making fun rides a regular holiday season service, for various events – weddings, birthday parties, festive-rides, etc. He liked the idea and was beginning to think of creative ideas on how he could make the cart look appealing to fun-seekers – when I next go back, I would like to see what progress he has made in building this new revenue stream – it may make the inconvenience of other crises become more bearable. Who knows?
#opportunity #experience #community #people #energy #creative