| Called by many names; townships, informal | | | | into the townships of a rather unique type of |
| settlements, or squatter camps, they are an | | | | Spaza shop. The main aim of the Health Spaza is |
| integral part of South African life, both in rural and | | | | to start as it were, health shops like the health |
| urban areas. A collection of ramshackled | | | | stores you find in more affluent areas of the city. |
| structures made of corrugated iron, cardboard, | | | | Many of these health shop owners have told us |
| wood, fencing, whatever can be found to create | | | | that they are increasingly seeing township dwellers |
| a home. The roads between the shacks are | | | | who prefer to come through there doors with |
| better described as worn pathways, some too | | | | minor ailments as the advice is free and the |
| small for a vehicle to pass, others wider with | | | | products are affordable (well some of them at |
| space for vehicles and informal trade to mingle | | | | any rate). I am sure that the rich and poor both |
| with playing children. R.D.P. (Reconstruction and | | | | can agree on the fact that a visit to a medical |
| Development) housing projects are interspersed | | | | practitioner is costly, as is a visit to a Sangoma or |
| with the shack-lands, where the government has | | | | traditional healer.The Health Spaza saves the |
| built small brick houses, which will ideally and | | | | township dweller the trip into a shopping centre. |
| ultimately house all of South Africa's homeless. | | | | On their own doorsteps, they now have available |
| Amongst the shacks; schools, clinics, churches or | | | | a shop (or a container, gazebo or ice-cream box |
| missions, spaza shops, shabeens and taverns are | | | | style bicycle) that caters for the minor ailments |
| found. The services that are usually conspicuously | | | | we all suffer from such as flu in winter, the |
| missing are police stations, post offices, and health | | | | twinge of arthritis, and a biggie - male potency. |
| outlets (apart from clinics, which dispense medicine | | | | Products sold, have been carefully selected |
| and traditional healers).The interior of most shacks | | | | according to a set of criteria, which include |
| are dark and stuffy, leaky in summer and | | | | market related pricing and the all-important fact |
| draughty in winter when the paraffin stoves used | | | | the products must be natural and good for our |
| for cooking and warmth far too often lead to | | | | consumers.To say that the shop is truly a health |
| fires, unable to be contained before spreading fast | | | | Spaza, or even to say that Fevertree as a |
| and far and with tragic consequences. These | | | | company has any claims on it is not entirely true. |
| conditions are totally unsuitable for people living | | | | The ownership of the Health Spazas is in the |
| with compromised respiratory diseases such as | | | | hands of local township dwellers. Fevertree's role |
| those that are the symptoms of HIV | | | | is to assist them to set up the business and give |
| AIDS.Informal trade is done from spaza shops, | | | | them the required training to operate as a small |
| which are general dealer stores set up inside | | | | business and as health product consultants. As it is |
| shacks, caravans, under gazebos or trees, or in | | | | a new idea, and in the world of new ideas, people |
| containers. In the same way, hairdressing | | | | are usually a slow species to catch on, the Health |
| services, telephonic services and clothing are sold. | | | | Spaza has diversified itself to the extent that it is |
| Shabeens and taverns are bottle stores and | | | | also a Photo Spaza, taking ID photos, licence |
| restaurants.Business is usually quiet during the | | | | photos, and photographs for all occasions. This |
| daytime on weekdays, as most people who are | | | | diversity is the hallmark of the Fevertree spaza |
| employed and most children who are in school are | | | | business model. Strangely enough the two odd |
| not available as consumers. Children are often | | | | bed fellows, photography and health products |
| responsible for the shopping as their parent's | | | | seem to complement each other well, at times |
| work, and it is becoming more and more common | | | | the photography drawing customers to both sides |
| as AIDS spreads, that children are required to | | | | of the business, and sometimes the health |
| look after sick parents, run the household and | | | | products attracting customers.The scope of the |
| look after siblings.In the evenings and on | | | | spaza business model also includes for new and |
| weekends, the streets come alive with people | | | | innovative products and services, for instance we |
| shopping, trading and visiting each other. Music | | | | have identified an awareness and need for solar |
| blares, cars are washed and children use the | | | | power. Another issue is that of whether the |
| streets as their playground. Township life is truly | | | | Spaza should be mobile or static We anticipate |
| community based living, and it is this quality that | | | | that other ideas will surface in time, and we would |
| makes this physically challenging environment, a | | | | like to encourage our readers to submit ideas to |
| special one.The Spaza shop is often a central area | | | | us (1 million brains are far better than two or |
| for residents who generally do not have | | | | three). To submit an idea, contact us through our |
| refrigerators, and must purchase food daily basis. | | | | website Mordecai is an educator and researcher |
| It is the Spaza shop's central position in a | | | | with interests in Neurolinguistic Programming, |
| community that makes it a perfect point to | | | | Psychoneuroimmunology, herbalsim and |
| distribute health products and indeed even as a | | | | entrepreneurism in Africa. He currently runs |
| place to distribute information and knowledge.THE | | | | Fevertree, an innovative business that sources |
| CREATION OF HEALTH SPAZASWith the above | | | | and supplies raw materials and products focusing |
| scenario in mind, Fevertree has initiated a concept | | | | on African Medicinal herbs. |