Twiga Minerals gives fresh impetus to Nyerere’s 3 enemies

Before 1999, to Tanzanians, October was just a tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and sixth of seven months with 31 days in ordinary life.

The October of the year 1999 reflected its meaning, as per Anglo –Saxons, to Tanzania, Africa and the world at large. It was called Winterfylleth, meaning fullness of winter. On 14th October that year, Tanzania and Africa were orphaned, they were deprived by the death of a statesman and true son of Africa, the Father of Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, and it was a wintry day and bleak month.

And because the likes of Nyerere never die, they live on forever in the hearts and minds of those who would follow in their footsteps. Since then, October for Tanzania and the whole continent has become the month of reflection on Mwalimu’s philosophy, deeds, lessons learnt and more important how to emulate his goodness for the betterment of mother Tanzania.

Twenty-three years now without him, like all legends Mwalimu still lives with us and Twiga Minerals Corporation is bringing fresh thrust to his war on the three common enemies of development, ignorance, poverty and diseases.

In his inaugural address in December 1962, Mwalimu put it crystal clear that he was not teasing by declaring war on the three enemies.

“I know there are still a few people who think we are joking when they hear us using the word “war”. Let me assure them that we are not…. Every year thousands of children die needlessly for no other reason than a lack of proper care born of ignorance. Poverty, Ignorance and disease, then are not mock enemies. They are the true enemies of our people. And anybody who refuses to take part in this war, or who hinders the effort of his neighbours is guilty of helping a far more deadly foe than is he who helps an armed invader. So, I repeat, this war is very real war; it is not a sham battle in which we are engaged. I look to the citizen of our country to join in the fight. And anyone who interferes in our effort, I, for my part shall look upon as a traitor and enemy of our country. ”

As I said before it’s not easy to just let October pass by just like any other month without reflecting the life of Mwalimu and his philosophy to relate with what we do today, as an old adage goes, a well lived today makes our tomorrow a dream of hope.

Reflection in commemorating the Father of the nation this October will focus on  Twiga Mineral Corporation, a joint venture between Barrick Gold and the government of Tanzania, that oversees the management of Barrick’s assets in Tanzania, North Mara and Bulyanhulu Gold Mines and the implementation of the economic benefit-sharing agreement.

Twiga Mineral has demonstrated a high level of commitment in investing sustainably for the better future of the communities surrounding North Mara and Bulyanhulu gold mines and the nation at large.

It builds mutually beneficial partnerships grounded in a philosophy of trust and transparency with the surrounding communities. The essence of this partnership approach is the Community Development Committee (CDC) model, which reflects the belief that no one knows the needs of local communities better than the communities themselves.

The role of the CDC is to allocate the community investment budget to the projects and initiatives most needed and desired by local stakeholders. Each CDC is elected and made up of a mix of local leaders and community members, as well as representatives from local women and youth groups and a representative from Barrick. It’s through these CDCs that education, health and agribusiness projects have been identified, and thus join the army of fighting the enemies of our nation as outlined by the father of the nation.

Diseases

The communities neighboring Bulyanhulu Gold Mine, had an immense challenge on health services. Determined to echo Mwalimu Nyerere’s war against disease, Bulyanhulu Gold Mine upgraded the then Bugarama dispensary to a modern Bugarama Health center and equipped it with almost all necessary medical equipment which enables it to play a vital role in the health care system.

“Bugarama health center has become a central point in the lives of the people around here and beyond, it’s very instrumental for health care coordination and integration”, says Dr. Beata Eristides, the acting doctor in charge at the facility.

Located at Bugarama ward in Kahama district, Bugarama Health Center serves about 50,000 people from all the villages surrounding Bulyanhulu Gold Mine and people from as far as Geita and Shinyanga regions.

The health center is equipped with contemporary equipment such as anesthesia machine, x – ray machine, ultra sound machine,10 oxygen machines,  and a modern operation room that enable it to offer services such as surgery for pregnant women.

“All these services have increased the number of women who gives birth at the health center, before the upgrading we used to receive 100 women or less per month, who came to give birth, but now we receive up to 250 pregnant women in the same period, this increase is due to confidence of the level of services we offer,” says Cleophas Mganda, the nurse in charge.

Doctor Beata says the health facility has brought significant changes in health services in the area and the neighboring regions. “Now we operate about 24 pregnant women per month, formerly we were referring them to district Hospital at Kahama, the situation was worse, but now all is well.”

Maria Thomas the resident of Bugarama village says the experience of travelling to Kahama Municipal hospital in labor pains is indescribable, “Thanks to Bulyanhulu Gold Mine for providing us with such a well equipped health center, apart from maternal services, general medical services are good, in general we are happy for this facility,” she says.

Ignorance

Ignorance was termed as the mother of all other enemies, the only way out was a better education. Nyerere understood education as a tool for liberating both an individual and the society; liberate an individual socially, economically, psychologically, culturally, physically, intellectually and spiritually. Insisting further that education should add value to learners through effective transformation that lead to the growth of society and development of a nation.

Development experts however, define the problem of education in Tanzania as stemming from an inadequate supply of schools. This supply and demand framework provides a ready explanation for the gender gap in education, a gap that has become a popular target for policy interventions because post-primary education for women is correlated with lower birth rates and improved child health. Barrick Gold is currently tackling this problem through school building and rehabilitation projects, through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to bolster community support for girls’ schooling.

One of the milestones of the Barrick CSR projects is Bulyanhulu Girls Secondary, a contemporary boarding school of its kind built under the full sponsorship of Bulyanhulu Gold Mine through Corporate Social Responsibility,

The school which is in the final stage of constructions ready to start enrolling students in January 2023, will be groundbreaking for girl’s education in the area where gender stereotype and education inequality is prevalent. This provides the most suitable environment for girls to gain an education by catering to all their essential needs. The school is very safe for girls as it eliminates the major safety concerns that are widespread among girls in the society.

The school is located at Busulwangili village in Kahama district; it has all necessary facilities like administration block that consists of head of School office, deputy head office, teacher’s office, accountant office, procurement office and general office.

It will also consist of two dormitories with the capacity of accommodating 80 students each, dining hall, two science laboratories, two – two in one teacher’s houses and 8 toilets holes.

This school will play a vital role not only in war against ignorance by liberating  girls socially, economically, psychologically, culturally, physically, intellectually and spiritually but also will be building a better Tanzania of the future.

Poverty

Poverty is ugly in all faces, Mara Gold Mine made deliberate decision to give alternative sources of income, so as to achieve sustainable economic development for the communities surrounding the mine and so sustainably eradicate poverty.

Through community initiatives Barrick Gold is funding an Agricultural Development project, designed to provide integrated support in collaboration with communities and other stakeholders to promote horticulture value chain integration, quality and efficiency as well as sustainable business model in horticulture.

The project will involve as primary beneficiaries 100 men and women from Matongo village and will profit up to 3,000 people as a result of spillover effect of the project.

By investing in the health, education and agribusiness projects, Twiga Mineral is giving a spanking new momentum to the call made by Mwalimu six decades ago to all Tanzanians to join force to fight these real enemies.