Ideas for starting local businesses with potential to help fund clinic
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Mar 8, 2009 Posted by Christopher MoynihanBy Devon Golaszewski.
Recently, I've been focusing on income-generation projects as part of our health-financing research . The idea is that by finding an alternate source of funding we can either reduce the cost for all patients, by reducing consultation fees or the cost of drugs at the pharmacy, or create a “solidarity fund” which will provide free care for certain services or certain patients, such as free malaria care for all children under-5. We would really like to create a clinic-linked industry that benefits the community in addition to making money for the clinic.
One idea is to create a plastics recycling factory, which will turn the enormous amount of plastic waste in Sikoroni into useful items:buckets, sandals or even building materials such as paving stones or beams. We can pay local children a small sum to collect plastic litter, and with the help of organizations such as Engineers Without Borders and Brown University professors develop environmentally-friendly processing methods. It would be a great way to have an impact on the environment, as well as public health.
Another idea is to start a radio recording studio. We could use the space to record the programs for our new radio project, Radio Sigida Joli, and rent it out to young Malian musicians and other community groups. Recording space is apparently in high demand in Bamako so this enterprise could be very lucrative for the clinic, while supporting rising Malian artists. We could even make sure that the recording studio would be available at a reduced price for groups who would like to promote community activism and development through radio.