Life is the greatest gift

What is the measure of a man’s worth among his fellow humans? If it is a blessedly long and productive marriage and a comfortable life from a highly lucrative career, then our interviewee of the week has more than qualified. However, if the guage of a life well lived is on how that person applied the above blessings for a higher purpose- to contribute hope to a society that he holds close to heart and mind Mr. Bambis has enriched his life by being passionate about sharing his blessings with the less fortunate.
Charalambos N. Tsimas, populary and affectionately known as Mr. Bambis, is in his mid 70s and is busily engaged as managing director of BAMBIS Prt. Ltd. Co. the corporate face of his venerably famed Bambis Supermarket.
Mr. Bambis is first and foremost a people person whose enthusiastic and deeply felt love for Ethiopia dominates his every waking moment. He is adored by former employees and their families whom Mr. Bambis supports in various ways and is regarded as a model employer. Upon our visit to Bambis Supermarket the staff, some 150 strong, looked happy and composed – reflecting cohesion and the management finesse of this esteemed Ethiophile and philanthropist.
The objective of our appointment with Mr. Bambis was to discuss a project dear to his heart the establishment of what would be a free of charge dialysis treatment center in Ethiopia, to which Mr. Bambis has pledged ETB 1,000,000 toward the purchase of the first machines. The insightful and dedicated philanthropist, in this exclusive to Capital’s Tesfu Telahoun, details this noble project and challenges, including the major issue of raising funds sufficient for not just the purchase of dialysis machines, but importantly to sustainably cover the considerable running costs of the projected dialysis treatment center. Excerpts:

Mr. C. N. ‘BAMBIS’ TSIMAS – Allow me to start before you. I am glad that you have shown a most commendable job by helping to publicize my plans and goals for Ethiopia first ever and free of charge Dialysis Treatment Center. I thank Capital, which is my favorite English newspaper in Ethiopia.

Capital – Thank you but it is indeed difficult to resist reporting in greater detail about such a noble cause – to which we shall return, if you will, after you recount to our readers how you started your long and eventful career….
Mr. C.N. ‘Bambis’ Tsimas – My family has been in this blessed country for well over a century. Jan Hoy (the reverent title of Emperor Haile Sellasie. Mr. Bambis crosses himself) was a very good man, a visionary. There was virtually nothing before Ababa Jan Hoy. He built roads, schools, hospitals commerce, industry and great institutions which were the first in Africa. Many Greeks – like my family and relatives, Armenians and others were welcomed in the thousands to settle and live, establishing successful enterprise.
I first set foot in Ethiopia in 1952, Addis was still a small town and I recall there were very few cars and people got around by Gari (horse drawn carts). The mail was delivered to Arada Post Office (the then headquarters) by horsemen who rode in from all corners of the country. When the city began to grow this mail cavalry was banned from the center (Piassa) and told to stop in Mercato. There was first one, then two bus lines – one from Piassa to the current Old Airport and another from there to Piassa again. I myself took this bus for 6 years while I was attending night classes at Haile Selassie University college (today’s AAU), that is, when I could afford it, Other times I walked to college and back I didn’t mind the hardship because I was determined to do better for myself whatever it took.
My family came to Ethiopia in 1884 by way of Djibouti, traveling by camel. This was after 40 days sailing from Greece to Djibouti.
My maternal nephews (from Rodhes) ran large businesses. One of them had the country’s largest and best stocked supermarket, located at ‘Serategna Sefer’. Everything was available – food, clothes, rifles. Another nephew was operating a large distilled alcohol and liquor factory.
Unfortunately, the supermarket and other property was razed to the ground by patriotic Ethiopians who thought, by mistake, that they were Italian owned businesses. Some relatives returned to Greece, others went elsewhere and some stayed on.
Back in Greece I was a 19 year old boy and a very intelligent student. I was very clever with numbers as I have a good mind for mathematics. It was therefore planned that I should pursue further education in university. My father and I were preparing for this when suddenly everything changed. The then Lord Mayor and the president of the University fell out and my educational ambitions were dashed. My father couldn’t afford to pay for university (it was not free then). My mother’s brother then suggested I come to Ethiopia.
Upon arrival here I soon found out that my uncle was a strict disciplinarian and a very frugal person. I lived and worked in his shop for five and half years until one day, I became extremely frustrated. Even though I didn’t have a cent to my name, I boldly told my uncle that I was going to return to Greece after 3 months. Would you believe that he gave me just 550 birr after five and a half years of unpaid work!? I was on my own I rented a mud shack and slept on the floor without any bedding for some time.
One day someone came to me and said, “Mr. Bambis, why don’t you buy a grocery shop near the commercial college that is on sale for 20,000 birr?”. Although it was preposterous to even imagine affording to buy a shop in my financial condition, I went to see the property. I liked it immediately and decided to take out loans from various relatives. In brief, my first ever grocery store became so successful that I went on to co-establish and name the Economy Supermarket (it was re-named ‘Tatek’ when the Derg nationalized it and today it is called ‘Hadya’). Then I bought this 2000 sq mts in what was really in the middle of a forest. Bambis Supermarket, almost as soon as construction had concluded, was nationalized by the military regime.
Capital: - How did you take it?
Mr. C.N. “Bambis” Tsimas – I took it all in stride but I’ll tell you something. I never, not even for an instant, throughout the many years, felt that I had lost Bambis Supermarket. In my heart of hearts, I knew that someday, when it shall be God’s will, my property that I had worked so hard to build, would be returned to me. I decided to wait for this time and praise be to God, my faith in trusting Him was rewarded. I consider myself very fortunate in being one of the very few people whose buildings and businesses, confiscated by the military, were returned to them.
Today, Bambis has created employment for 150 citizens, carries a uniquely varied and assorted stock and enjoys a high reputation among customers, suppliers and the business community.
Capital – What inspired you to aim for a charitable Dialysis Treatment Center?
Mr. C.N “Bambis” Tsimas – I have always tried my best to support those who are less fortunate in life. In this particular instance, though the issue has been on my mind, it was the early death of a dear employee of mine (he was just 45) from kidney complications – how could he afford dialysis treatment thrice weekly at 1200 birr a session? This sad situation compelled me to this decision and I began to actively mobilize myself and others toward this goal.
Capital – What are the specifics of this initiative?
Mr. C.N “Bambis” Tsimas – I have personally pledged ETB 1,000,000 as seed money toward the purchase of the first dialysis machines out of an eventual 20 to 30 machines. I have conducted some sensitization work among various bodies which could assist in the purchase of the dialysis machines.
This includes a group of over forty Ambassadors, Heads of Mission and others. I take this opportunity to extend my gratitude for their assurances of support toward the funding required and we have agreed to reconvene as soon as adequate funds have been raised to implement the center.
I am quite confident that we will be able to get the machines. The challenge is to secure adequate funding that will make the importation of the expensive machines of practical advantage. By this I refer to the operating costs of a dialysis center which offers cost free treatment for kidney sufferers. The center demands qualified and specifically trained medical professionals, filters and ionized water for the machines and other routine running costs.
It is only after I am assured that the dialysis treatment center has secured sufficient funds for a regular and sustained operation that I can consider my dream to be a reality. I again appeal to all Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia to help us overcome this challenge.
Today, an Ethiopian with kidney disease is virtually condemned to death since the cost of dialysis is so high. That is, if the patient gets a turn on one of only a handful of obsolete machines. A free dialysis treatment center would be like giving the gift of life again. The patient can live a near normal life have and raise children and need not break the family’s finances to pay for dialysis.
Capital – What makes dialysis treatment so costly?
Mr. C.N “Bambis” Tsimas – We are talking about complex medical equipment. Dialysis machines can cost anywhere from 200,000 – 250,000 ETB but this is just in initial costs. There are several inputs such as cleaning and filtering agents and you must maintain a high level of hygiene. Also professionals are required to operate the machine and to deal with various individual requirements of patients.
Therefore, just having machine available with out a properly functioning facility is not wise. This is why I again stress the importance of raising funds sufficient for a regular budget for running costs.
Capital – Have you considered collaborating with existing medical institutions?
Mr. C.N “Bambis” Tsimas – Well, one of the first I approached with the idea Dr. Tedros Adhanon, Minister of Health. He was very sympathetic to the cause and afforded me the utmost respect which I highly appreciate. However, and it is understandable, the minister explained to me that at the current time, though the issue is substantial, the government has many higher priorities such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and others.
To answer your questions directly, no, I have not sought to collaborate with hospitals but I have been approached by private hospitals and I had to politely decline their offer. This is because, no matter how much cheaper they would charge, it would still defeat the main purpose of my project – free of charge service.
Capital – Would you like to extend concluding remarks?
Mr. C.N “Bambis” Tsimas – I would like to say that Ethiopia is a beautiful, rich country with great people. Unfortunately, we (I include myself because I have always considered myself to be part of Ethiopia as much as I am of my native Greece) have not benefited from the country’s wealth. Many years were lost and Ethiopia gaveup its advantageous position in Africa in many sectors. I urge Ethiopians to co-operate, help one another and generally work hard to develop their country.
Finally, I must close by again reminding all people of goodwill, Ethiopians and expatriates alike, to extend their generous contributions to the realization of the Dialysis Treatment Center.