My phone rings at 8pm. Its a number i don’t have saved in my phone. I think maybe its a buyer asking for a truck, but all our prefinance is back in so there’s no one buying sesame anymore. A ugnadan voice crackles over the phone,
me, calmly, ” Hello?”
“MADAM!!!- HOW are you?!!?” yelling into phone so he can be heard.
“I’m fine thank you and you?”
“FINE!, Madam this is Gonay!” still with unbridled excitement!
“GONAY,” me now matching his excitement, ” how are you!?!?”
Gonay: “FINE, FINE!!, now MADAM, how many tons!?!”
Me: ” Of simsim?! in total?! 1,100, Gonay!”
Gonay, chukling and gleeful” OHHHH that is GOOD!!!” . more chuckling. “ok Madam! GOOD! Thank you, Thank you, thank YOU!
Me: ” No, THANK YOU! Thank you! , Very Good Job! I will call soon!”
Gonay ” Thank you!” (Abruptly hangs up, saving his credit)
Gonay is one of our most remote buyers, who it takes 3-4 hours to reach from the ginnery. He made signs earlier this year to hang up on his store, both in English and Acholi, exclaiming, “ORGANIC TALKING! NO CHEMICALS, ALCOHOL, SMOKING!” He talks on the phone the same way he writes his signs.
He along with several other buyers have come into the office or called the last few days checking on the total number of kilos of kilos that the Company was able to buy. I had told as many of them as I could what we were aiming for, called them with encouragement and goals to set for themselves. Gonay I had told he should aim for 50 tons, and while he probably only reached 25, there will be small prizes for him and for all of those buyers who did well as well as a bonus for the farmers. The prizes and extra cash are well deserved and very much desired. But the calls the last couple of days weren’t for that. The smiles of getting to our goal and the feeling of being a part of something is really what we’re all excited about.
