Project Yemen
The context
We launched our first VR product - in Yemen, a country that endures the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe.
Mostly unnoticed by those in the UK and around the world, Yemen is an utterly heart-breaking story. It has been destroyed by warring factions controlled by those both inside and beyond its borders. Its institutions and services including its healthcare system are on their knees.
There are only 4 surgeons for every 1 million people. Compare that to 345 surgeons per million in the UK. This means that if a person is injured in Yemen, they will likely turn up to a hospital that does not have a surgeon at all.
The drive
When we started One Shot Immersive, it was making an impact in places like this that drove us. And continues to do so. We see little point in existing otherwise.
Thanks to the extraordinary teams at The David Nott Foundation and MTHP Fond, Project Yemen was born. After many challenging months, last week finally saw Yemeni surgeons being trained in mass casualty triage using One Shot’s Virtual Reality tool. A creation only made possible by a unique group of people who care deeply about human suffering, and who possess the courage required to help.
This is not a normal start-up story. We have turned down investment from traditional routes. We have spent hours contemplating whether indeed we want to be a business at all. We have looked east instead of west for inspiration and purpose. We have established partnerships with those aligned to the purpose and not the financial return. And making impact is the priority.
The journey
Beginning in this way makes failing impossible. Despite the ruthless nature of business, we have made a product that has been used and appreciated by surgeons and healthcare workers in the most desperate place on earth.
If the market does not see the opportunity One Shot’s technology brings, it will be confusing and disappointing, but it will not detract from the impact we can continue to make. We do believe that state organisations such as the military, and the bigger corporations and NGOs will catch up. But as is so often the case, it is left to pioneers like David Nott to blaze the trail. Yemen is just one of many places in the world that One Shot is going to help.
Over the coming years, working with the David Nott Foundation, our Virtual Reality will help train doctors in the world’s most austere and desperate environments. Watch this space.
The future
Over the coming years, working with the David Nott Foundation, our Virtual Reality will help train doctors in the world’s most austere and desperate environments. Watch this space.