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Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Patrick Bitature: Business and Entrepreneurship
Patrick Bitature is the "Bill Gates" of Uganda. He had some very interesting ideas and his story was inspiring. After learning about his different businesses and what he has done for Uganda I found a theme. He mentioned many times how GOALS are what people need to be successful. It is important to map out your goals and have a game plan. Patrick has gone from telephones, to energy, to property and now to the oil industry. He has been an inspiration to many and his work has not gone unnoticed in Uganda. Based on all of the things he has done what do you think has been the most related to Sustainable Development and why? Also Patrick stated many different things related to culture and how you have to adapt yourself to wherever you are. How has the culture here changed the way you have thought and do you think it will be carried back the U.S.?
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In general, I think all of his businesses relate to sustainable development because they are bringing business to Uganda and contribute to growing the economy. Things like telephones and hotels are essential for the economy because they promote business and tourism. Telephones make people more productive and tourists need hotels to stay in. As more businesses and tourists come to Uganda, the more the economy grows. (Of course, there needs to be more than just Patrick to be sustainable). The conversation about energy was also interesting. He recognized that Uganda should pursue the oil industry, but in an environmentally friendly way. He discussed how his business was aware of the environmental impact of oil and would consider the impact when developing. This recognition of environmental protection relates to sustainability because it means that Uganda can develop different industries (like oil) without diminishing its environmental resources, which also provide numerous benefits. If an industry damages the environment, then it can't be truly sustainable because there won't be environmental goods for the future. Furthermore, he recognized that Uganda could not depend on oil because it is not sustainable. Eventually it will run out or not be profitable. If Uganda were to depend on oil, its economy would be in trouble down the road, which is obviously not sustainable. However, I am curious how much of his speech is representative of the actions taken. It is one thing to recognize the importance of the environment. In fact, many oil companies do proclaim to have the interest of the environment in mind. However, it is another thing to actually develop in sustainable way and protect the environment.
ReplyDeleteThis talk from Patrick really helped lead me to some personal trip epiphanies. The culture here has made me analyze why we are the way we are as individuals. I have had the opportunity to think about what type of person I would be and what type of hobbies I would have if I were raised here in Uganda as opposed to the United States. I have enjoyed my time here greatly, but it has also humbled me greatly and made me really cherish my resources and opportunities at home. I feel blessed to have found various passions, such as dance and working in healthcare, due to my experiences in the US. It was encouraging to me how Patrick had such optimism about his own life and his positive impact on the community in Africa.
ReplyDeleteI think the talk with Patrick was inspiring also and did make me want to be a lot more goal oriented and set more goals for myself instead of just taking life as it comes. I think this trip as a whole and being immersed in this culture has changed the way that I view nearly everything. Being here I've noticed how grateful people are for what they have, no matter how much or how little, and this is something that I think a lot of Americans should take note of. Also, seeing how much value is placed on culture here, for example being at Ndere,has made me want to learn more about my own culture and trace my own heritage some more.
ReplyDeletePatrick was inspiring and I loved his work ethic. It showed me that you need to really work for your goals to achieve them. He mentioned that he wakes up at 5 AM every morning and works all day long. Another thing that he mentioned that inspired me was the way that he said that to make a change in the world you actually have to go out and do something about it. Additionally, he mentioned that he could give money, but that would not do nearly as much as actually going out and making the difference. I find it interesting that instead of sticking to one industry, he moves around to many different ones. This allows him to make a difference and gives him the ability to be more well known.
ReplyDeleteI was very appreciative that Patrick was able to come speak to us. I think his inspirational speech was very beneficial to the MUBS students. It's very rare for Ugandan students to hear from a successful business man such as Patrick. He addressed a main issue that I had noticed, which was a lack of motivation to strive for large goals outside of attaining a stable job after graduation. Many of the students don't even consider striving to help change the Ugandan economy and work towards change. Obviously, it's challenging to think about that point of success when they're privileged enough to attend an university. Patrick mentioned how it's a parents job to instill the motivation into their children- something I believe the students didn't know!
ReplyDeleteI think Patrick is really thoughtful in the points that he was making in his speech and how they can be applied to anyone's life. He seems to be empathetic in the sense that he takes into account the fact that everyone has a different cultural, social, and economic background and we all face very different challenges, yet no matter what these challenges are, we have the capability to recognize them for what they are, and improve. The other aspect of his speech that I liked that was different from typical from motivational speeches of this type was that he left out the assumption that by following his steps, you will automatically be successful or achieve your dreams. This line of thinking I have found to be tautological, as the people promoting the accessibility of success are 100 percent of the time people who have already achieved "success". People who work to improve and become successful their whole lives, and yet are not well known for it, don't have the same platform, and consequentially, we don't here from those people. Patrick's message was important because it implied that it is ok, and in fact, more than ok, to be those kind of people and go unrecognized for personal improvement because you are still in the process of becoming more valuable and meaningful to yourself.
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