Transaid’s 2024 Christmas Appeal

The support for Transaid’s 2023 Christmas Appeal was extraordinary, and resulted in us surpassing our target of £35,000 to raise an impressive sum of £42,500. The response from both our corporate supporters as well as individuals was humbling as ever, and we are appreciative of the people and organisations that contributed to making it such a success.

According to the WHO Status report on road safety 2023, the African region has recorded a 17% increase in road-related fatalities. These frightening figures make your support for Transaid’s work needed now more than ever. By contributing to our 2024 Christmas Appeal, you will help us to strengthen our road safety and access to healthcare programmes, training more professional drivers, as well as ensuring that more women and children can access healthcare services when they are most needed, and make progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

 

The Appeal

In 2024 we have secured festive double page spreads in sixteen industry publications: BIFAlink, Coach & Bus Week, Cold Chain News, Commercial Motor, CILT Focus, Export & Freight, Forwarder Magazine, Logistics UK Newsletter, Motor Transport, RHA Roadway, Route One, Transport & Logistics Magazine, Transport Engineer, Transport News, UKWA Warehouse, and Warehouse & Logistics NewsAs part of the package for companies that support the appeal, we are offering logo placement in each of the festive adverts.

Similarly to in previous years, companies can choose from a variety of Christmas Appeal publicity packages, which include the option for an exclusive personalised Transaid Christmas e-card design, company logo placement on Transaid’s website, a personalised ‘thank you’ video from the Transaid team, social media coverage, and prominent logo placement in the publications listed above.

 

Get Involved

Individuals can support the appeal via our JustGiving page, here

Companies can support the appeal by clicking here to download an order form with participation instructions.

Entering means your company could feature in sixteen leading industry publications, offering valuable publicity in exchange for your support. View last year’s Christmas Appeal advert in Motor Transport Magazine, featuring logos from participating companies here.

We are offering an e-card design personalised with your company logo, which reflects, unites and encompasses the transport and logistics sector as a whole (the design can be seen below). The design can be placed in your company’s email signature in the lead-up to and through the festive season, used in social media posts, or emailed out to specific contacts. E-cards are a fantastic way to reduce paper waste and are more environmentally friendly than traditional paper cards.

Why Support the Appeal?

Malaria continues to pose a major threat to rural communities and particularly children under five, with Africa being home to 96% of all malaria deaths.

Africa is also home to 70% of global maternal deaths, of which 75% could be avoided through timely access to healthcare.

As part of the Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations has set targets to end the epidemic of malaria and reduce the global maternal mortality ratio.

Transaid’s MAMaZ and MAMaZ Against Malaria programmes utilise Emergency Transport Schemes (ETS) to provide a vital link between rural communities and health services. MAMaZ Against Malaria has seen an 87% reduction in the number of children dying from severe malaria.

When Esther Chibuye went into labour with her son Rogers, she utilised a bicycle ambulance implemented through the MAMaZ programme to reach the health facility and deliver safely.

“I am thankful to the rider as well as Transaid. Without them, maybe I was thinking that I would not be alive today.” Esther Chibuye. Read her story.
“I am thankful to the rider as well as Transaid. Without them, maybe I was thinking that I would not be alive today.” Esther Chibuye. Read her story.

An estimated 1.19 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes, with African roads being some of the deadliest in the world. As part of the Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations has set an ambitious target to halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road crashes by 2030.

Transaid aims to improve road safety through professional driver training programmes across sub-Saharan Africa. In the last year, Transaid has trained almost 11,000 drivers and 60 trainers at Transaid-supported training centres in Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, and Kenya.

This year Transaid launched a new project in Ghana, leading the nationwide roll out of a new Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) driver training standard, in total Transaid has trained more than 2,000 drivers in accordance with the new standard. Emmanuel Danso is a driver trainer in Ghana, who trained with Transaid’s Professional Driver Training – Ghana programme.

<strong><em>“We must find a way to share the knowledge I have acquired through Transaid with everyone.”</em> </strong>Emmanuel Danso, a driver trainer in Ghana.
“We must find a way to share the knowledge I have acquired through Transaid with everyone.” Emmanuel Danso, a driver trainer in Ghana.

 

With your help we can continue to improve access to healthcare for rural communities and ensure that truck drivers can leave for a day’s work without the fear that they may not come home, as we continue to transform lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport. 

Any questions? Please contact Kohei Ohno at kohei@transaid.org or 0207 387 8136.

Transaid’s 2023 Christmas Appeal

Transaid’s 2022 Christmas Appeal achieved remarkable success, surpassing our target of £35,000 to raise an impressive sum of £37,800.  As always, we received an incredibly positive response from both our corporate supporters as well as individuals, and we are grateful to the people and organisations that enabled us to make it our most successful appeal yet.

With your continued support, and in Transaid’s 25th Anniversary year, we hope to elevate the 2023 total even further! By doing so, we can strengthen our ability to transform lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport, and continue to focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Appeal

In 2023 we have secured festive double page spreads in sixteen industry publications: BIFAlink, Coach & Bus Week, Cold Chain News, Commercial Motor, CILT Focus, Export & Freight, Forwarder Magazine, Logistics UK Newsletter, Motor Transport, RHA Roadway, Route One, Transport & Logistics Magazine, Transport Engineer, Transport News, UKWA Warehouse, and Warehouse & Logistics NewsAs part of the package for companies that support the appeal, we are offering logo placement in each of the festive adverts.

Similarly to in previous years, companies can choose from a variety of Christmas Appeal publicity packages, which include the option for an exclusive personalised Transaid Christmas e-card design, company logo placement on Transaid’s website, a personalised ‘thank you’ video from the Transaid team, social media coverage, and prominent logo placement in the publications listed above.

Get Involved

Individuals can support the appeal via our JustGiving page, here

Companies can support the appeal by clicking here to download an order form with participation instructions.

Entering means your company could feature in sixteen leading industry publications, offering valuable publicity in exchange for your support. View last year’s Christmas Appeal advert in Transport News Magazine, featuring logos from participating companies here.

This year we are offering an e-card design personalised with your company logo, which reflects, unites and encompasses the transport and logistics sector as a whole (this year’s e-card design can be seen below). The design can be placed in your company’s email signature during November and December, used in social media posts, or emailed out to specific contacts. E-cards are a fantastic way to reduce paper waste and are more environmentally friendly than traditional paper cards.

Christmas Appeal e-card for 2023 Illustration copyright: Savannah Storm 2023. Instagram: @savannah.storm

Why support the appeal?

The Sustainable Development Goals provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. An estimated 1.35 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes, and a disproportionate burden is felt in low- and middle-income countries, which account for 60 percent of the world’s vehicles, but experience 93 percent of global fatalities on roads. As part of the goals, the United Nations has set an ambitious target to halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road crashes by 2030.

Transaid is focused on achieving the target and improving road safety through our professional driver training programmes across sub-Saharan Africa. In the last year, we have trained almost 7,000 drivers and 51 trainers at Transaid-assisted training centres in Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, and Mozambique. Our National Helmet Wearing Coalition in Kenya entered into phase two, and continues to promote collective action to improve motorcycle safety.

“The training programme has changed my life and my driving style. It opened my mind to the things that we do unknowingly on the road.”  Rachel Lwanga, a professional driver in Uganda. Read her story.

 

Data from the World Health Organisation (2023) shows that malaria continues to pose a major threat to rural communities and particularly children under five, with Africa being home to 95% of all malaria cases and 96% of deaths.

75% of maternal deaths could be avoided through timely access to emergency child-birth related care.

As part of the Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations has set targets to end the epidemic of malaria, and reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births, by 2030. The MAMaZ Against Malaria (MAM) at scale programme utilises Emergency Transport Schemes (ETS) to provide a vital link between rural communities and health services, and has dramatically reduced malaria mortality in young children by increasing access to health services.

Nana and Mervis, two children that received life-saving assistance through the MAM@Scale programme in Zambia. Read their story.

With your support, we can help more women like Rachel to fulfil their ambitions as professional drivers, and help children like Nana and Mervis to access healthcare when they need it most, as we continue to transform lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport. 

Any questions? Please contact Maddy Matheson at maddy@transaid.org or 07596 720848.

Alexandria’s Story

One-year old Alexandria Katontoka from Fitebo in the Serenje District of Zambia fell sick on 13 December 2017 at around 10 in the morning.

He stopped playing with his friend and fell asleep near the doorway of his house. While picking up her, seemingly, sleepy son, Sharon Musonda realised his body temperature was very high. Worried she immediately set off to see the Community Health Volunteer, Charity Mumba. With a rapid diagnostic test confirming Alexandria had malaria he was given an antimalarial (artmether-lumefantrine) and paracetamol and taken home.

At around 3pm Alexandria’s big brother came running to Charity’s home in tears. He said that Alexandria had died, and he had been sent to call her. Charity ran into her house to pick up her test kits and Rectal Artesunate Suppository (RAS). When she arrived, Alexandria was lying on a blanket on the floor with his eyes closed. Mum, Sharon explained that he had started vomiting severely and had been fitting.

Charity immediately administered RAS and advised for preparations to be made to go to hospital. Just 5 minutes later, Alexandria opened his eyes and started to cry. Charity’s husband then called for a bicycle ambulance, which transferred Sharon and Alexandria to the local health facility, a journey that took over two hours.

On arrival at the facility, Alexandria was given three courses of Injectable Artesunate and the following day could be discharged and taken home. Although it took almost a week for him to walk properly, he has now fully recovered and RAS has given Alexandria a second chance at life.

CAROLINE BARBER TO BE APPOINTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF TRANSAID

International development organisation Transaid has appointed Caroline Barber, 37, to take over as Chief Executive with effect from 1 August 2017. She will replace Gary Forster, 35 who is stepping down after 11 years, including the last six as Chief Executive.

Caroline first became involved with Transaid whilst on secondment as a Project Manager for Wincanton. She undertook four overseas visits for Transaid between 2005 and 2008, helping to share best practice from the private sector with key programmes in post-Tsunami Sri Lanka and Ghana.

In 2008, she joined Transaid full-time, initially as Country Programme Manager in Zambia, where she led a project to develop the capacity and capability of the Industrial Training Centre in Lusaka. Three years later, in 2011, she was promoted to Head of Programmes with direct responsibility for managing a portfolio of projects in sub-Saharan Africa – primarily focused around rural transport, transport management for health fleets, and professional driver training in the commercial vehicle, passenger transport and materials handling sectors.

Commenting on her appointment, Caroline says: “In my 12-year engagement with Transaid I have developed a strong technical understanding of the many issues relating to transport and logistics in Africa and I’m excited about the opportunity to lead a fantastic team which is deeply committed to the people Transaid exists to support.

“I am incredibly lucky to be taking over an organisation which enjoys unprecedented levels of industry backing, and which has proven to be an essential ingredient in our success. Today our projects are transforming lives daily and attracting significant attention from international donors.”

Commenting on the appointment, Jo Godsmark, Chair of Transaid, says: “Gary’s hard work has transformed Transaid into a very strong organisation, which has the systems, processes and people in place to deliver enormous impact. We wish him every success for the future.

“We are extremely fortunate that in Caroline we have the ideal person to lead Transaid as we approach our 20th anniversary next year. She brings the ideal blend of experience, having spent time in the field and managed our entire project portfolio. Plus, Caroline enjoys excellent relationships with our member base and within the development sector.”

Gary joined Transaid as a volunteer from Procter & Gamble in 2006 and spent his first two years in Zambia, followed by two years in Northern Nigeria. He took over as Chief Executive in April 2011 and is stepping down to go travelling, whilst considering his next career move – possibly back into the field, working with the people and organisations making change happen on the frontline.

He says: “I would like to express my gratitude to the UK transport and logistics industry which, through their cycling, fundraising and corporate donations, have changed the lives of tens of thousands of people whom they’ll almost certainly never meet.

“The success we’ve enjoyed has been a true team effort, for which I’d like to thank my colleagues for their dedication, long hours and sheer energy – together with the amazing support from our partners across Africa.”

For more information and to find out how you can support the organisation visit www.transaid.org.