Monday morning. I have returned to the civilized world of the Ugandan Industrial Research Institute, were our Yoba yoghurt is produced also. At the design department I’m printing some posters and files which I will take with me when I return to the countryside. An employee, seated there at his desk, is taking yoghurt. Two other man walk in.
‘Hey, is that Yoba yoghurt?!’
‘Let me see. No this is just normal yoghurt.’
‘Ah, we wanted to get Yoba yoghurt, but it’s probably out of stock again! You always have to be so quick if you want to get some…’.
‘But this one is also good.’
‘No, we have to get Yoba. You have not heard about the special benefits? Everybody talks about it.’
‘Yeah, well ,right. You ask that lady there, she’s from Yoba’
‘Aaah! So you are from Yoba?! Good to meet you! We need to talk to you. We are always looking for Yoba yoghurt. They are saying that this Yoba yoghurt has some special health benefits.’
(A happy me): ‘That is true. Yoba contains a special bacteria that stays alive in your intestine, and there it fights against bad bacteria who might enter. So thereby, most important of all, it reduces diarrhea.’
‘Okey, but that is not what we mean’.
‘You mean it might protect against HIV? I’ve heard that one, but it’s definitely not true.’
‘No, that is also not what we mean. We mean that other benefit, you know’
‘No, actually I don’t know’
‘You know, they say it’s good for married people.’
‘Hahaha, you mean what?!’
‘Yes, seriously. Every time Yoba is produced here people are lining up. Even young boys who are not even married, but they just pretend. Always they sell everything too fast. Within 2 days the Yoba yoghurt is over and we have to wait till they produce again.’
‘Hahahaha, goodness, who tells you those tales? This yoghurt only helps your intestine, nothing else. You should buy it for your kids when they have diarrhea. But maybe don’t spoil that secret. We have no problems with the fact that people are lining up to get the Yoba yoghurt.’
‘Okey, at least we know that now, thanks for the explanation. And we will not spoil the secret. It’s all in the head you know. If you believe it will help you for those special health benefits, than it will.’
