Campaign launched to ensure road safety to school going children

Dar es Salaam. Puma Energy, in partnership with Amend Tanzania, have launched a transformative road safety campaign to improve the safety of children and youth on the roads in Tanzania.

Dubbed 'Be Road Safe Africa', the campaign underscores the organisations' commitment to protecting the lives of Tanzania's children and giving them a chance to receive education, a basic need.

This comes when road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among children and young people worldwide, with Africa having the highest road death rates.

According to Tanzania Traffic Police statistics, 1,545 road-related fatalities and 2,278 road injuries were reported from 1,720 road crashes in Tanzania in 2022 alone, with child pedestrians being particularly vulnerable.

Five primary schools in Dar es Salaam in areas considered to be at high risk for road traffic injuries have been selected to participate in the campaign.

The schools identified are Kibugumo Primary School, Kifuru Primary School, Msewe Primary School, Kibasila Primary School, and Mtambani Primary School.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Nsato Marijani, appreciated the initiative, noting, "I would like to give my sincere congratulations for this initiative. I want to encourage the whole community to participate in campaigns like this, as it is our responsibility to ensure our children get an education and a safe environment when they travel to school."

The campaign activities, which will be implemented by Amend Tanzania, are expected to equip the primary school children with essential road safety knowledge and skills, empowering them to make safer choices on the road.

The activities include drawing competitions and a 'kids court' which empowers children and holds adults accountable for reckless driving in the proximity of their schools. Managing Director, Puma Energy, Ms Fatma Abdallah, noted, "This activity connects police, children, drivers, and the wider community in a way that benefits all."

"Every child deserves a safe journey to school and back. Through the 'Be Road Safe Africa' initiative, Puma Energy, with its implementing partner, Amend Tanzania, road safety stakeholders, and local communities, is addressing the scourge of road traffic injuries. We are committed to protecting Tanzania's children and young people," she affirmed.

The campaign builds on the successful road safety programme supported by the two organisations between 2013 and 2020. The programme reached over 130,000 children in 115 schools across the country in at least eight regions, including Zanzibar.