By Hakimu Mwafongo
A total of 115 home-based care volunteers for Iringa
Mercy Organisation (IMO) in Iringa Region have received bicycles valued at
Sh17.25 million from Tunajali Programme.
The bicycles were
handled over to the volunteers by the acting Iringa regional administrative
secretary (Ras), Mr Nuhu Mwasumile, at the regional commissioner’s office
yesterday.
While handing over the
bicycles, the secretary said that they would increase their efficiency in
providing services to HIV victims in Kilolo District.
Mr Mwasumile urged
volunteers to use the given transport means as intended in pursuit to realise
the programme goals instead of using them for their personal gains.
Senior grant officer
for Tunajali programme in Iringa Region, Ms Leah Lubago, said the bicycles had
been donated under the sponsorship of the American people through United States
Agency for International Development (USaid).
A volunteer from Ruaha
Mbuyuni Ward, Ms Revina Mofuga, said that the bicycles would enable them to
extend services to areas that were not previously covered due to lack of
transport, saying some patients live very far from where the volunteers stay.
“The bikes will
improve service delivery to our clients as will could be able to attend more
HIV victims than how the situation was in the previous time,” said Claud
Kindole from Ilula Sokoni
Augustino Duma from
Kilolo, also a volunteer said they were previously compelled to walk long
distance as they attended patients, noting that they would currently reach the
patients easily.
On behalf of other
volunteers, Mr Duma thanked TUNAJALI and USAID for their assistance to serve
HIV victims and promised to ensure appropriate use of the bikes.
However, volunteers asked the government
to support their efforts to attend the home based HIV victims, saying they were
currently working under difficult situation given that there are no formal
payments that are given to them apart from the meager allowances they are
getting to facilitate their activities.
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