HEALTH workers at Mwamhongo Dispensary, Mwamhongo Village in Meatu District, Simiyu Region will no longer have to walk long distances to work after being given a residential house

The staff house which was handed over yesterday will be used by three families of health workers. Donated by well-wishers, the house was handed over alongside bicycles for pupils at Busangwa Secondary School who come from Ming’ongwa, Butuli, Bulyanhulu and Sakasaka villages. Both the house and bicycles cost 187.01m/-.

Meatu District Commissioner Fauzia Ngatumbura expressed her gratitude for the building and the bicycles which she said will scale up service provision in the area.

“This support came at the right time as health workers lived very far from the health facility, posing a challenge for residents who need services at night,” she said.

She asked health workers who will occupy the new building to maintain it and provide good service to the community, urging pupils who received the bicycles to take good care of them.

Jeremiah Masunga, a resident of Butuli Village, thanked the conservation and tour firms that made the donation for the support and stated that people of Meatu will continue to support the companies.

Sylvester Bwasama, representative of the firms, stated that the donation aims to support health workers in providing quality services and to ensure that pupils arrive at school on time, thereby improving their academic performance.

“The donation is part of the community empowerment initiatives being implemented in the district,” he said.

Regarding the 194 bicycles, he said: “The idea for this project arose because pupils have been walking from their respective villages to school. We assessed what type of transportation could reach many of them with minimal challenges and bicycles were found to be suitable and easy-to-use options for them.”

He mentioned that the project will be sustainable as when a pupil completes school, they are required to return the bicycle to the school management so that another one joining the school can use it.