Honey Care Africa is an interesting trio of articles in which we learn how one man can make a significant difference to an industry and an entire country. The authors of Honey Care Africa describe the successes, failures and overwhelming challenges that Farouk Jiwa had to overcome to transform the culture of the African people so that they may become self-sufficient and successful farmers in the beekeeping industry. The history of farming and more specifically beekeeping in Africa was characterized by corruption, inefficiencies, and limited resources available to the farmers. Additionally, many farmers had to wait long periods of time before ever getting paid for their products. These difficulties often discouraged them and limited their ability to continue their operation.
Farouk Jiwa is the founder and Director of Honey Care Africa. Jiwa established a for-profit business model that focused on assisting African farmers in establishing their own independent beekeeping business. His vision was to establish a profitable company that was also committed to environmental preservation and human development.
Jiwa demonstrated a supportive leadership style by looking beyond his own perspective and attempting to see the industry through the eyes of the average African farmer. This leadership style was demonstrated when he asked himself the simple question, “If I was the average farmer in Kenya today with two acres of land, what would stop me from producing honey?” Jiwa was able to conclude that the primary obstacle was their inability to obtain proper funding for the necessary equipment and their inability to get paid for their products in a timely manner.
Jiwa and Honey Care Africa developed a business model that incorporated key operational factors that were crucial to gain the trust of the African farmer. He also believed that the farmers needed to have