Geita Gold Mining Limited (GGML) has partnered with the Workplace Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) to provide specialized training to 50 women food vendors in the Arusha region. The objective of this training is to educate the women on how to respond to various fire disasters and implement fire prevention measures.

In addition to the training, GGML has also distributed 50 units of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to encourage the food vendors to abandon the use of wood and charcoal and then move to the use of clean energy.

The training was delivered during the national commemorations of the World Health and Safety at Work Day, hosted by the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA). This year's exhibition is being held in Arusha from 23 to 30 April 2024.

In a speech to women food vendors, Dr. Kiva Mvungi, Senior Manager of Health, Safety and Environment at GGML, said that the company had decided to provide education to the food vendors so that they could combat fires at home and focus on safety in their business areas, especially considering that they are the source of many interactions.

"We teach them how to fight fire disasters because their daily activities are related to fire issues and the use of charcoal and gas.

"It is also important to recognise the impact of climate change on people and the role of personal behaviour in contributing to the reckless cutting of trees," he said.

He stated that the effects of climate change affect everyone, regardless of social standing, size or position, and that it is therefore beneficial for everyone to focus on the use of clean energy to overcome the disasters caused by these changes.

"We have prepared this education to see how to deal with the effects of climate change because excessive cutting of trees causes soil erosion, floods and global warming."

"The use of charcoal or destroying various sources can increase the impact on the environment and cause flooding even in our mining areas," he said.

Furthermore, Ruth Mharagi, Senior Officer - Social and Economic Development from GGML, stated that the training, among other things, is focused on teaching food vendors the safe use of gas energy and encouraging the use of alternatives to charcoal."

"Additionally, our exhibition stand has continued to receive visitors seeking guidance on fire safety, as a significant proportion of them lack awareness of fire safety measures at home," she said, adding, “We provide this training, and we also demonstrate how to use common household items to extinguish a fire. These include a bucket of water, a towel, a bandage or a cloth soaked in water.”

Furthermore, the Health Inspector of the working environment from OSHA, Elizabeth Mtile, advised the women to adhere to the various safety and health laws and guidelines in the workplace.

"Our slogan, which highlights the effects of climate change on safety and health at work, aims to control disasters and these changes in climate by involving every group in society because these effects affect us all," she said.

One of the women food vendors, Prinsila Kwai, expressed gratitude to GGML and OSHA for providing the training, which she believes will facilitate positive change for them and those around them.

"In fact, we are very grateful for this opportunity since our daily activities are related to fire, so this training will help us a lot in how to deal with a possible gas explosion," she said.