TotalEnergies Marketing Malawi Limited has rolled out the ‘Helmet 4 Life’ initiative, providing 300 free helmets to motorcycle taxi operators, known as kabaza, in Blantyre.
The Managing Director, Nerusha Govender, emphasized the initiative’s focus on enhancing safety for motorists across the country.
“Road safety is fundamental to our business. It is a value to us. We want to make sure that our customers, in this case, the two-wheeler motorcyclists, are also safe on the roads,” she said.
Govender further disclosed the extensive reach of the initiative, with TotalEnergies actively distributing 100,000 helmets to motorcyclists in 40 countries.
Tonex Yakobe, spokesperson for the Kabaza Association of Malawi, expressed gratitude for the life-saving initiative, ensuring that the helmets will be utilized to prevent road accidents.
“We will ensure that the helmets are used for the intended purpose,” he affirmed.
Joel Jere, Executive Director of the Road Safety Alert Foundation, appreciated the fruitful discussions with TotalEnergies Marketing Malawi, underscoring the pivotal role helmets play in reducing fatalities from kabaza-related accidents.
“We know that the number of people dying from kabaza-related accidents is rising, and helmets will ensure that their lives are saved,” remarked Jere.
Malawi Orthopaedic Association President Maureen Sabawo, in a recent update, highlighted alarming statistics, revealing that 49 percent of injuries caused by road accidents, constituting 60 percent of the total, are attributed to motorcycle taxis.
As the initiative concludes, a total of 1,520 helmets will have been distributed to motorcycle taxi operators nationwide.
