(Part 1)
BIG Brother Africa – The Chase reality television show winner, the beautiful Namibian Dillish Matthews, has turned into an instant continental superstar. Is she a role model? Or is there anything entrepreneurial about Big Brother Africa? Hold on to that thought for a while.
The previous two columns looked at examples of Namibian local entrepreneurs from the medical and retail sectors. For most Namibians who wish to pursue a career in medicine, they are required to complement their clinical skills with business skills. To help us understand how this can be done I decided to look at an inspiring story from a well-respected Indian entrepreneur. In addition to working with people who would like to succeed beyond doubt and imagination on a daily basis, I would also like to answer the key question whether role models are still relevant?
The eldest son of a farmer, Dr Govindappa Venkataswamy was born in southern India and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in medicine from Madras University in India. Dr Venkataswamy was inspired by Mahatma (meaning ‘great man’) Ghandi, who united the country in a non-violent movement to seek independence from the British colonial rule.
Dr Venkataswamy argued that the best way he could serve his country in the struggle for freedom would be in the capacity he was trained for – as a doctor for the Indian Army Corps. Due to unexpected change of events Dr Venkataswamy did not work for long in the army as he developed severe arthritis and was discharged in 1948. His joints were swollen, painful and he was bedridden for almost a year.
He used his time in hospital wisely by working on a concept of how he could best serve his own people in India to eradicate needless blindness. When he was 58 years old his eye clinic, today known as Aravind, opened its doors with eleven beds. Today it is the largest and most productive eye care facility in the world. Dr Venkataswamy marketed cataract surgery like hamburgers. His vision was also inspired by American fast food chains, the McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts and Pizza Hut, as all these outlets have mastered the art of mass marketing. He used the same concept to clear the backlog of 20 million blind eyes in India. To him the McDonald’s concept was very simple as these firms feel that they can train people all over the world. McDonalds does this irrespective of different cultures or religions to produce a product in the same way and deliver it in the same manner around the globe.
By now a number of readers may think? Does this make sense at all, the McDonalds and hamburgers concept? I know it is not funny. What Dr Venkataswamy wanted to do was create a franchise, a mechanism of delivery of eye care with the same efficiency as McDonalds.
Currently there are over 500 Aravind hospitals in South India, which are all self-sustaining and see over 1.4 million patients and perform over 200 000 cataract surgeries each year. At Aravind every patient who is able to pay for medical care covers the cost for two who cannot. Due to the large population in India, the revenue from paying patients not only covers costs from Aravind’s pre-services, but also generates a surplus that funds all growth and expansion services.
Namibians, let’s hold onto those thoughts and ideas for now. Keep thinking about the question of whether role models are still relevant? Let me also make use of this opportunity to wish our national leaders a happy belated Heroes Day and of course all citizens of this great country. We will continue this discussion next week and put it into a Namibian context.
• Dr Wilfred Isak April holds a BBA degree from Unam, an Honours BComm (Industrial Psychology and Human Resource Development), and Master of Commerce from the University of Stellenbosch in collaboration with the European Business School: Germany and a PhD from New Zealand. He currently lectures at the University of Namibia.
By Dr Wilfred Isak April
