Blacky

There are approximately 5 male first names in this country with multiple variations of each.

ex) Muhammad= Muhammado= Mamado= Amado= Mado

So it is very rare when you hear an original name in this country, especially one like "Blacky". I admit I giggled and then asked them to repeat the name when I first heard it. I am very mature like that sometimes. Let me explain. We finally started the shipment of supplies to the school construction site in Tongo, and the next step is to begin making the bricks. The bricks we are using are not the traditional cinderblocks used in most school construction, we are using compressed earth bricks. These bricks must be made using a special machine that has a form and compression chamber. There are only a handful of these machines in Mali and we found one in a town about 150 km east of us in Koutiala. We have been working with a contractor for the past two years called Yaya. We were under the impression that he was the owner of this machine but it has been made clear to us now that he is just an underling of the all powerful Blacky. We negotiated the price of renting the machine last year and factored that into our budget. We were going to rent the machine for 60 days at 7,500 CFA/day and pay two laborers 1,000 CFA/day to teach the people of Tongo how to use the machine and how to make the correct cement/earth mixture. The day before we began shipping the cement to Tongo, we called Yaya and told him we were ready to begin and asked him when he could bring the machine to Tongo. He said he wanted to meet with us and discuss the prices, so we set up a meeting with the mayor and chief to sign contracts and take pictures.

When Yaya arrived he gave us very different prices. The price of the machine rental went up to 12,000 CFA/day, we would now have to pay 7 men 3,500 CFA/day, we would have to pay him 125 CFA per brick the machine produced, and we would now have to pay for the transportation of the machine to Tongo. He then dropped the the knowledge on us that these were his instructions from Blacky and that if we wanted to negotiate them we'd have to speak to Blacky himself. After I let Yaya out of my mental choke hold, we decided to contact old Blacky ourselves. Yaya then proceeded to tell us about his new cell phone and how Blacky's number was left in his old phone and he had no way of contacting Blacky. We told him we needed to get the project started, so we'd drive to Koutiala and talk to Blacky face to face. At this point Yaya magically remembered Blacky's number.

Blacky does not work well with others. The following is a conversation with the illusive Blacky.

Us- Blacky?

Blacky- Yes

Us- Hi, we are here with Yaya...

Blacky- Whatcha want?!

US- We were wondering why the prices...

Blacky- I've been waiting on you for two years, the prices changed, take it or leave it!

Us- We're sorry about that it took us a long time to raise 60, 000 dollars.

Blacky- Not my problem, I eat!

Us- You eat?

Blacky- I don't need your money to eat!

Us- Ok, so....

Blacky- I'd rather the machine sit in my courtyard then deal with you!

Us- ok, we're trying to build a school to help children and will build 150 more with your machine if you help us.

Blacky- No! (he hangs up)

At this meeting are the Mayor of Cinzana, the Chief and representatives of Tongo, The Malian director of BuildOn, The American director of BuildOn, Mary and myself. After the phone call we all look at Yaya. He is terribly embarassed and ashamed. We begin to tell him how all these people have invested time and money into this project and because of their greed we might not be able to finish it. Yaya promises to talk sense into Blacky, but we are not holding our breath. So, we have decided to search for a different machine somewhere else. Every day we wait the rainy season inches closer and closer. 60 tons of cement sit in a room in Tongo covered by a leaky roof. If we wait much longer there is no way we will be able to prevent that cement from being ruined by the rains.