GEITA GOLD MINING & CCBRT DONATE WHEELCHAIRS

Geita Gold Mining Company Ltd. (GGML) Managing Director, Terry Strong (left) and Geita District Commissioner, Colonel Boniphace Maghembe (right) assist two people with disabilities, recipients of new wheelchairs provided by Geita Gold Mining Company Limited in partnership with CCBRT.

Geita Gold Mining Company Limited (GGML) in partnership with Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT), an organization which works to prevent disability, provide affordable medical and rehabilitative services, and aid empowerment of people with disabilities and their families has provided 55 wheelchairs and assistive devices to disabled people in the Geita region to assist in their mobility, enabling them inclusion in various social activities.

The life changing equipment was handed over on 22 November 2023, in Geita with aims to demonstrate GGML's commitment to the community and bring positive results outside of mining activities.

Speaking at the handover, GGML Managing Director Terry Strong said the company is keen to continue to focus on the dignity of all people, including our stakeholders and the community we work for.

"This is one of several healthcare initiatives we have undertaken in partnership with the CCBRT, which has worked hard to provide medical services and rehabilitation of various prosthetics at low cost, enabling people with disabilities and their families to regain their smiles."

"We believe that everyone deserves dignity, respect and equal opportunities to thrive in life. We also recognise that people with disabilities face many challenges and barriers in accessing basic services, education, employment and social inclusion. That is why we are proud to support this programme that will provide many people with appropriate and improved services that will enhance freedom and quality of life," said the Managing Director.

Clinician Neophita Lukiringi, from CCBRT further thanked GGML for thinking of people with disabilities and providing them with proper wheelchairs.

She said that if a person with a disability is given a wheelchair that is not right for them, it can cause them more harm.

"But GGML saw that there was a need and decided to help people with disabilities and wanted to make sure that this equipment reached the right people. So, I would like to thank GGML for setting a good example, because if you give a chair to a disabled person, you have helped them a lot," she said.

The CCBRT clinician said that if an elderly person is given a chair and it is not fitted properly, it can cause them to bend their back and shorten some of the muscles, leading to increased disability.

"I urge Tanzanians who want to help people with disabilities not to provide wheelchairs without seeking experts to work with them because even the World Health Organization (WHO) insists that wheelchairs should be provided by people who are trained to make the necessary adjustments to benefit the users," she said.

One of the beneficiaries, Matendo Sitta, thanked GGML and CCBRT for the kindness they showed by providing them with wheelchairs that will help them, navigate life's challenges and better integrate into the community.

"We ask you not to stop at us because there are many of our colleagues who have challenges, so we ask you to continue to have a spirit of giving because right now we can even go to the neighbour to tell stories, we promise to take care of these equipment," he said.

The Geita District Commissioner, Colonel Boniphace Maghembe, who was the official guest of honour at the handover ceremony, commended CCBRT for partnering with GGML to provide professional training on the correct use of such equipment and to give proper advice to people with disabilities.

Colonel Boniphace Maghembe went on to say that GGML have been great partners in development activities and illustrated this through many good deeds for the benefit of the people living in Geita region.

He also pledged the government's continued support to investors including GGML, a company that has joined the community in providing goods and humanitarian aid to people with various needs.