Transaid’s 2025 in Review

18th December 2025

In 2025, Transaid has delivered remarkable impact thanks to the support of our partners and friends across the world, who are committed to sustainable development and achieving the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals.

Working alongside governments, local institutions, communities, and corporate partners, Transaid has continued to design, deliver and advocate for programmes delivering sustainable improvement in road safety and access to healthcare across sub-Saharan Africa where there continues to be tremendous unmet need.

Our work remains aligned with the global targets under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030: ending the epidemic of malaria, halving road traffic deaths and injuries, and reducing maternal mortality to fewer than 70 per 100,000 live births.

At the heart of everything we do is SDG three; ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, and SDG 17; which calls for strong global partnerships. Through collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and practical training, Transaid continues to transform lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport.

Programme highlights: road safety

Transaid’s multistakeholder road safety programmes have continued to grow in scale and influence this year. Across Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia, we trained more than 9,000 professional drivers, trainers, and riders, as well as over 40 trainers, helping embed stronger standards and safer practices.

 

 

Key highlights from 2025 include:

• Ghana: The national Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) driver training standard is now being rolled out nationwide. Transaid has supported the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority to embed improved training and assessment across the country, reaching nearly 5,000 drivers with education and training informed by the new standard since August 2024. This critical work is supported by the Puma Energy Foundation.
• Kenya: Transaid’s partnership with the FIA Foundation continues in phase three of the National Helmet Wearing Coalition, which tackles critical gaps in helmet testing and public awareness. In July, Transaid hosted the second Safe African Helmets Initiative (SAHI) Summit in Nairobi, bringing together 76 participants from nine countries to accelerate progress on helmet standards and motorcycle safety across Africa.
• South Africa: In partnership with the South African National Taxi Association (SANTACO) Women’s Desk and Sonke Gender Justice, Transaid supported a project focused on improving safety for women operating and travelling in minibus taxis in the Western Cape. As a major milestone, nine minibus taxi associations representing over 1,000 taxis have committed to adopting the Safe Minibus Taxi Charter developed through the programme.In January, Transaid’s Patron Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal met with members of the SANTACO Women’s Desk, Transaid Project Manager Dennis Simuyuni, and Radius Operations Manager Brent Robarts, at a gathering of key partners in Cape Town.
• Building on two previous studies conducted with Durham University and University of the Western Cape, Transaid also returned to South Africa for a third phase of research into young men’s safety while walking. The project peer researchers – local residents who gathered evidence in their own neighbourhoods – led community workshops to share their findings in accessible ways and have been working with residents, community leaders, and local NGOs to identify practical ways to improve safety for young men while walking in their neighbourhoods.

These achievements reflect Transaid’s continued commitment not only to safer roads, but also to gender equality and inclusive economic participation within the transport industry.

Corporate support

Our industry partners have continued to help scale our impact through providing expertise and vehicle donations. In May, the Industrial Training Centre (ITC) in Zambia unveiled two Scania R450 tractor units, donated by The Malcolm Group, and a DAF CF rigid, donated by Asset Alliance. All three have been fitted with the latest cameras and telematics systems, donated by Brigade Electronics and Microlise.

In addition to these units, Samworth Brothers Supply Chain also donated a fourth truck unit to Transaid, ready to be used to train students at the ITC.

Meanwhile, IVECO donated a truck unit to support our road safety programme in Ghana. These generous donations showcase the power of Transaid’s unique global network of partnerships.

 

Programme highlights: access to healthcare

In Zambia, our long-running Mobilising Access to Maternal Health Services (MAMaZ) and MAMaZ Against Malaria programmes continue to drive national action. We strengthened emergency transport systems and expanded access to timely care for pregnant women and children under five.

In numbers (since January 2025):

• 14 new bicycle ambulances delivered to rural communities.
• 131 community health volunteers (CHVs) trained.
• 42 riders and custodians trained to safely operate and maintain bicycle ambulances.

  

Beyond Zambia, the MAMaZ model has also influenced global learning. This year we developed international guidelines to support scaling the approach, with visual design support from Briagde Electronics. MAMaZ team members used the guidelines to support the training of trainers in Nigeria, the country with the world’s highest malaria burden.

In Kenya, Transaid launched a new programme in collaboration with North Star Alliance, funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, connecting commercial drivers with essential health services alongside road safety messaging.

• Over 1,700 health and road safety fact sheets were distributed, promoting HIV/AIDS testing and cargo safety.
• Footfall at two Wellness Centres increased by more than 100 percent following outreach.
• Following widespread reports of vision strain from long hours at the wheel, Transaid and North Star Alliance carried out more than 4,000 eye tests with the support of Gibbs and Morel family trusts.
• 971 pairs of glasses were distributed, improving driver health and safety.

This initiative will continue into 2026- please do get in touch if you would like to support the project directly!

 

 

Fundraising highlights

2025 has been a year of extraordinary generosity from corporate partners and individuals across the transport and logistics industry. In a time when the need for Transaid’s work is critical, your support has directly powered our programmes and enabled us to reach more people, more safely, in more places.

Some standout fundraising moments include:

• The Multimodal Awards raised over £18,000.
• The Transaid Cup, sponsored by the Road Haulage Association (RHA), was a record-breaking year with more than £19,000 raised in scorching summer conditions by sixteen teams.
• The Motor Transport Awards generated over £23,000.
• The Cork to Dublin cycle challenge brought together almost 50 cyclists, covering 328km through rain and sunshine and raising an incredible £110,000. Click here to see our 2026 cycle challenges: the Isle of Wight, and Kilimanjaro to Coast.

  

We welcomed two new corporate partners to our growing network. Vaculug, Europe’s largest independent tyre retreader, joined in April, building on Vaculug’s sponsorship of Transaid ambassador Guy Heywood’s many fundraising initiatives in recent years, as well as donations to support Transaid’s access to healthcare programmes in Zambia.

In December, McGill’s Buses, the largest independent bus company in Scotland, joined the scheme, and will play a vital role in sponsoring the 2026 Scottish Transaid Dinner.

As well as corporate support, Transaid’s fantastic Ambassadors continued to volunteer their time and expertise. Highlights include:

• Robert Jervis, Event Director for Multimodal and a Transaid Ambassador, raised almost £6,000 for Transaid by walking 147 miles along canals from Clarion Events’ headquarters in Fulham, London, to the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham.
• In other fundraising challenges, Guy Heywood raised £8,000 by completing sixteen running, cycling, and swimming events in his 2025 ‘Transaidathalon’, totalling a distance from London to New York!
• Abbie Rennison, Network Change Manager at GXO, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in September, raising over £2,000.

We welcomed three new Ambassadors to the scheme: Chris Hill, a full-time driver training instructor for Oxalis-Logistics who has conducted driver training with our partners across sub-Saharan Africa; Ali Nabil, Team Leader at GXO Logistics’ Toolstation; and Clare Newton, independent logistics contractor, owner of Love Logistics Ltd, and Commercial Director of Warehouse-Space.

A huge thank you to all our Ambassadors for supporting Transaid this year, whether through industry event support, sourcing prices, taking on fundraising challenges, or helping to expand Transaid’s networks.

 

A Royal Year

We were honoured to welcome our Patron HRH The Princess Royal to multiple events throughout 2025. In February, HRH The Princess Royal officially opened the new London office of Asset Alliance Group parent company Arbuthnot Latham. During her visit, The Princess Royal met with a team of Asset Alliance Group colleagues who kayaked 18.5 nautical miles across the English Channel to raise funds for Transaid in September 2024.

In July, Hankook Tyre UK proudly celebrated the grand opening of its new UK headquarters, Hankook House, with a special visit from HRH The Princess Royal.

In October, we celebrated the collective achievements of 2025 with partners, supporters and friends during Transaid’s Annual Showcase event at Eversheds Sutherland in London, honoured by the presence of our Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, and Her Excellency the High Commissioner to the Republic of Kenya. The event was a powerful reminder that global partnership is not just an SDG ambition: Transaid’s power comes from our partnerships.

The Royal event saw the presentation of the 2025 Victor Simfukwe Award to Ernest Chanda, Project Technical Coordinator for the MAMaZ Programme. Transaid Project Manager, Dennis Simuyuni was highly commended this year.

The Showcase was held with support from gold sponsor the British International Freight Association (BIFA), together with associated sponsors the Road Haulage Association, the UK Warehousing Association, and the Woodland Group.

Thank you

Thank you for supporting Transaid. Your belief in our mission and your commitment to partnership are what make sustainable change possible.

The results from our programmes and fundraising this year demonstrate real progress toward our strategic goals and the SDGs. As we look to 2026, we’re excited to build on what we’ve achieved together, expanding our reach, deepening our collaborations, and continuing to transform lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport across sub-Saharan Africa.

Transaid wishes a wonderful festive season to those celebrating, and we look forward to sharing more updates with you in 2026.