“Be brave, be bold and become.”
Sara Nayager is a daughter, sister, wife, mother, leader and phenomenal woman. She is also the Regional General Manager for Netcare Hospitals across KwaZulu-Natal. Always looking to grow herself and what she knows, Sara strives to learn, share, know, do and, most of all, be more in every aspect of her life.
Sara shares that her dad has significantly influenced her life: “My dad taught me never to be afraid and to always strive towards your goals and be better.” She also shares that being part of a spiritual organisation helps cultivate compassion through service to humanity and keeps her grounded. “In this chaotic and fast-paced world, one could be easily swayed,” she explains, “Having the opportunity to help, even in a small way, helps one realise that life is about helping others through action and thereby deepening one’s spiritual connection with the universe.”
Starting her career in the medical field as a pharmacist with the goal of one day owning a pharmacy, Sara always had that passion for being a leader. “Wanting to be a leader propelled me to pursue a few business courses to fill my knowledge gaps, culminating in a Master’s in Business Leadership degree,” she says. Having been in the Hospital General Manager role for just over 11 years, the promotion to Regional General Manager for the Netcare Hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal was, in her words, an “exciting and welcomed challenge”. Last year, Sara was nominated and featured as part of the Top 50 Most Influential Personalities of South Africa. “It came as a surprise message from a senior personality in the media industry,” she gushes, “It is humbling and at the same time motivating and exciting, as I feel that I have the ability to contribute so much more to the lives of others, especially women.”
Sara is passionate about women’s empowerment, especially in the medical industry. Through the platform, Women Empowering Women in Healthcare, she hopes to give the female staff a medium to inspire and be inspired by each other. “This quarterly event was initiated during our dark times of the pandemic when healthcare workers needed motivation and inspiration,” she elaborates, “With a vibrant team of ladies, we have held two successful events where the attendees left feeling cared for, understood and inspired!”
The journey to where she is now has been challenging, with many days and nights spent pouring her blood, sweat and tears into her career, but enlightening, “It has provided much life and character-building lessons!” she exclaims. Looking to the future, she aims to grow herself as a leader. “To work with my hospital management teams to make a real difference to person-centred health and care in our hospitals, and to embark on further leadership studies and play a more active role in advancing women leaders in KwaZulu-Natal,” she shares.
She advises everyone trying to broaden their horizons and grow personally: “Learn to identify and overcome personal fears, mindsets which may hold you back and take time to reflect on how you process setbacks and learn techniques to drive yourself forward to overcome those setbacks.” Having a support system is also extremely important. We can’t do everything on our own, “Your family are your greatest supporters. Tell them you love and care for them,” Sara shares. As a parting piece of advice, “Most of all, enjoy the journey, have fun and keep believing in yourself!” she encourages.
Words: Cristina Govender