Road transport industry charity Transaid works with partners and governments in more than 20 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, to deliver life-saving work in the areas of road safety and health.
Founded in 1998 by Save the Children, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and its Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, the organisation has more than 30 corporate partners from across the transport and logistics industry which share time, expertise and resources to strengthen the organisation’s programmes.
UK-based renewable energy solutions provider, Olympus Power, recently joined Transaid as a partner.
The agreement sees £1 donated for every solar panel installed by Olympus Power on a commercial project, which can range from manufacturing sites to logistics parks, cold stores, retail parks, data centres, automotive dealerships and office blocks, sometimes requiring thousands of panels.
Caroline Barber, Chief Executive for Transaid, said: “Our corporate partners play a vital role in driving the impact of our work, and we are delighted to welcome Olympus Power into that group.
“Their contribution brings new insights that will help strengthen our programmes and extend their reach.”
As a Transaid corporate partner, logistics company GXO has placed staff on international secondments, offering participants the chance to use their skills and expertise to tackle new challenges and deliver valuable work for the charity.
Over the years, these placements have been tailored to suit a variety of individuals and organisations, with some trips as short as a week, and others lasting more than a year.
For example, Lucas O’Brien of GXO Logistics has been taking part in a six-month secondment in Accra, Ghana, as a project officer with Transaid, supporting the nationwide rollout of a new driver training standard as well as providing support for the establishment of a training centre for trainers of HGV drivers.
Transaid supports Ghana’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) 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 programme, aimed at improving road safety and driving standards, is currently in its second phase, supported by funding from the Puma Energy Foundation.
Alongside members of the Transaid team and driver associations, O’Brien has been speaking with drivers and trainers to raise awareness of the new standard, developing presentations and materials to help ensure quality training, and representing Transaid at events and conferences nationwide.
He said: “The opportunity came about as I was completing my Supply Chain Degree Apprenticeship and began looking for a new challenge at GXO. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone.
“My goal is to have made a notable change by the end of my time in Ghana, and with the support of the Transaid team, I am confident that is going to be the case.
“I’m grateful to be involved with such an interesting project that I know is going to save lives.”
Many UK transport operators and individuals have given their time over the years to help Transaid, be it through training, charity bike rides or donating equipment.
Last year, a team of 48 riders from across the transport and logistics sector returned from a 328 km cycle challenge from Cork to Dublin to raise more than £90,000 for the charity.
Day one started with a 132 km pedal from Cork to Waterford, Ireland’s oldest city, with an additional 91 km on day two as the team headed to Carlow, and a final 105 km push to end in Dublin.
Participants in the event represented 16 organisations, including 2K Games Dublin, Asset Alliance Group, Backhouse Jones, Dawsongroup, DVV Media, Iron Mountain, Ivevo, Libra Europe, MAN, Michelin, Microlise, PF Whitehead, Pulse Communications, RHA, Stanley Travel, and The Malcolm Group.
This year the challenge returns to Africa, for a 10-day, 454 km adventure from Kilimanjaro to Pangani on the coast of Tanzania.
Maddy Matheson, Head of Fundraising for Transaid, said: “The unrestricted funds raised from events like these allow us to launch new pilot projects that transform and save lives.”
Meanwhile, Transaid has expanded its Madereva Salama Zaidi (Safer Roads) Project, focused on improving access to road safety information and basic health services for truck drivers, including a targeted eye health initiative for professional drivers and roadside communities in Kenya.
Between 2019 and 2020, Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority recorded a 64% increase in road traffic fatalities along the Northern Corridor, underscoring the growing urgency of addressing safety concerns.
A six-month outreach programme at two North Star Alliance Wellness Centres, supported by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, saw a series of road safety and health factsheets developed for dissemination by outreach workers.
During the project, many drivers reported eyesight problems and irritation, caused by long hours behind the wheel.
To address this, Transaid received further funding from Gibbs and Morel Trusts to conduct 4,107 eye-health screenings over a three-month period, with 971 prescribed glasses and 110 referred to a specialist clinic in central Mombasa for further evaluation.
The second phase of the Transaid programme, delivered in partnership with North Star Alliance and DOT Glasses, is expected to see up to 1,000 individuals fitted with corrective lenses.
These services are provided alongside routine non-communicable disease screenings at the North Star Alliance Wellness Centres near the Port of Mombasa – a major transport hub for HGV drivers.
Jason Finch, Programmes Support Manager for Transaid, said: “Expanding the Madereva Salama Zaidi Project is a big step for improving the safety and wellbeing of the individuals that keep Kenya’s transport systems moving.
“Professional drivers are often working long hours in challenging conditions limiting their access to information and healthcare.
“Untreated vision problems exacerbate challenges linked to safety, putting both them and other road users at risk.
“Through phase one of the project, we were able to see how significant the need is, and how impactful this project will continue to be.”
For more information and to find out how you can support the organisation visit www.transaid.org.
