You can vote SA social entrepreneur onto global success

24 May 2016 - 16:24 By Chivas Regal
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Every day, 47 South Africans lose their lives on our roads - many falling prey to accidents outside major centres and only receiving assistance after the ‘golden hour’ for lifesaving treatment has expired.

The result is a huge toll in human suffering and loss, with families left asking ‘why?’ and posing the eternal ‘if only…’

Fortunately, in this era of social entrepreneurship, the ‘if onlys’ are being addressed. We have entered a new world where technology, a desire for independence and a drive to uplift society meet. And what better cause, asserts social entrepreneur Jaco Gerrits, than ensuring that all can access help after being injured in a car accident.

As the South African winner of Chivas Regal’s global The Venture II competition for his potentially life-saving app CrashDetech, Mr Gerrits will join 26 other young entrepreneurs from around the globe in New York for the chance to win a portion of a US$1 million pool that will take their humanitarian aspirations as far as possible.

Having been in the tech industry for about 14 years, he acknowledges that there are insurance giants in South Africa who offer impact-assistance devices as part of their packages. However, 70% of the population have no insurance on their vehicles and, so, no life-saving backup.

“In a global context, there are about 1.3 million people killed and about 50 million injured in car accidents every year,” says Mr Gerrits. “Unfortunately, South Africa features highly on this index. The monetary cost is also sobering, with South Africa’s economy losing more than R300 billion annually.”

CrashDetech is affordable, can be downloaded onto cell phones regardless of whether the user has insurance, and is backed by the country’s largest independent register of emergency services and personnel to ensure accident victims get help as soon as possible.

The device springs into action as soon as an impact is sensed: An automated voice begins an emergency countdown. If there is no response within 10 seconds, it notifies the CrashDetech emergency assistance centre, sends them the necessary medical information and pinpoints the vehicle’s location. Immediately, emergency teams respond. Even if you travel without your phone, CrashDetech will help; vehicle stickers with QR codes can be scanned or the call centre phoned to obtain vital patient information.

Shelley Reeves, Marketing Manager: Scotch Whiskey at Chivas Regal, says, “As a regional finalist, Jaco Gerrits has reaped the benefits of attending our Accelerator Week at Oxford University, where expert facilitators workshopped with the candidates and provided advice on all aspects of building an effective business. Now it is on to New York for the opportunity to ‘sell’ a panel on the social benefits and scalability of his business.”

Although he is looking forward to pitching his idea, Mr Gerrits acknowledges that his chances to walk away with the lion’s share of the million-dollar prize rely not only on his belief in his product and his ability to make the judging panel believe in it, too, but also the backing of his home country: he needs South Africans to start casting votes for CrashDetech to influence the final decision.

A total of US$250 000 is based on votes alone, and if you wish to support your fellow countryman and his world-changing, life-saving innovation, go to www.theventure.com/global/en/finalists/crashdetech. Supporters can vote once a week until voting closes on 13 June 2016.

“Chivas Regal encourages South Africans to become part of this process to create a better, safer, more caring world,” Ms Reeves says. 

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