wellness center

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

Wellness In South Africa: REAL Wellness AKA "Ubuntu" Explained
Friday July 18, 2008

Current DR: July 18-20. Coming July 21: Understanding What Makes For "Happy"

Wellness has many meanings, few enemies and comes in all languages, more or less. The meaning of wellness depends. It depends on who is using it and what he, she or it wants to convey by or accomplish with the term.

Basically, the nature of wellness and the organizations, programs and purposes advanced under this banner vary widely, in this country and around the world.

I recently asked two leading figures in the South African wellness movement for an overview of wellness in their society. Drs. Andre de Jager and Hanna Van Lingen responded.

South Africa is a relatively small nation with only 48 million citizens, but it is also the continent's biggest economy. The people benefit from a well-developed health and medical system. Ample educational opportunities exist for professionals in all fields. Networking is facilitated by wide participation in many professional societies, which offer training and other benefits.

The first question was if South Africa had equivalent organizations along the lines of our National Wellness Institute (NWI) and/or the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA). I also asked if a wellness network functioned in South Africa and if they judged that network to be effective. The responses to both general questions were, "yes but no." This may sound elliptical at first, but it was soon clear what was meant by the yes and no answer.

For several years, there was such a group. Known as WELLCOSA (Wellness Council of South Africa), it served the functions noted. However, similar to what we in the US call a "sunshine law" (wherein an agency is set up for a period of time but goes out of existence unless renewed), WELLCOSA was allowed to fade away, like McArthur's old soldier. There was insufficient justification for its continued care and feeding. Networks were in place and wellness promoters did not feel compelled to invest more time and funds into a "middleman" operation that would have to sell product to remain viable. According to Drs. De Jager and Van Lingen, WELLCOSA members were unanimous that its outcomes had been achieved.

Wellness is not a recognized specialty but most of the established professions include a modicum of wellness-related education, with links to human resources and other parts of the business world. At conferences within most disciplines, presentations on wellness or "salutogenics," positive psychology and/or related matters are commonplace and well received.

There is a uniquely African version of wellness based upon the native concept of "ubuntu." Ubuntu was described as follows: "I am a person through other persons" and "I am because we are." This emphasis on mutual support and shared fate contrasts with Western and contemporary understandings, which emphasize individualism and rationality. ("I think, therefore I am" or as the late George Carlin and I might put it, "I'm going to exercise, eat well, seek DBRU equivalents out the yin yang and let the Devil take these overweight toads who smoke, evade responsibility and do nothing to help themselves - they're not my problem!).

In management practice, ubuntu translates into participative leadership and a recognition that one's own success depends on the empowerment of others around oneself. You develop through the development of others, not at cost to them. Ubuntu sounds very much like something Judd Allen would endorse, and in fact Dr. Allen has worked with Andre de Jager, Hanna Van Lingen and others in South Africa more than once on ubuntu-related programming. (Other American health promotion professionals involved at one time or another in South African wellness include Michael O'Donnell, Mary Davis, Emina Burak, Joe Lutzinger and Robert Bensley.)

A popular ubuntu expression translates to mean there is little value to win the rat race if one remains a rat, the idea being that how you work and play counts more than outcomes. (Lily Thomlin popularized this expression in America: "The trouble with the rat-race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.")

Perhaps one reason WELLCOOSA was not sustained can be traced to the national character of the South African. A wellness newsletter, a cohesive agent for most associations, is less appealing in South Africa because it can be perceived as intrusive, leaving an impression that "the truth" is housed somewhere. The people would rebel against such an assertion or even the sense that this message was implied.

A few other salient points offered by Drs. de Jager and Van Lingen can be highlighted:

Most of the products sold under a (bogus) wellness label (vitamins, newsletters) come from the US!
Conferences are popular but the sponsors are professional organizations -- wellness is a side feature, not the main focus. Major corporations hold their own meetings on topics of interest to their business.
The training for wellness-related professions is done largely by universities. At the Nelson Mandela University, a "wellness practitioners" workshop is offered for those with a first, foundation career degree.
There is substantial activity underway at worksites under the wellness banner that transcends risk reduction, disease management and the basics of health promotion (fitness, nutrition, stress management, etc.). Much of the quality of life educational comes from the fields of economics, business and industrial psychology. One leadership center for this kind of continuing education is centered at the Northwest University.
REAL wellness areas, such as critical thinking/skepticism and resistance to pseudo-science, the teaching of ethics, the nature of happiness and paths for added meaning and purpose are often included in so-called "scientific approaches" to understanding.
Outcomes-based approaches are emphasized in all teaching; values are widely acknowledged as core issues in all behavior.
A conference devoted to "Corporate Health and Wellness" is set for the end of July; information on this event is at www.kr.co.za.

In summary, the wellness concept is established and well in South Africa. Many wellness initiatives are underway. The leaders are looking forward to continued growth of the movement.

All the best. Look on the bright side of life.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the MEANING DOMAIN under the skill area of applied wellness. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

Current DR: July 18-20. Coming July 21: Understanding What Makes For "Happy"
(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

Add Don Ardell's Wellness Column to your My Yahoo! and iGoogle pages.

Just click the button below and follow the instructions, if any are provided.

A note to webmasters: Other badges generated by Yahoo! Pipes are available for Don's Wellness Column. Don Ardell's Wellness Column is also available as a Google Gadget.