COVID-19 UPDATE
SWRW's response to the Corona Virus Pandemic
Safe Way Right Way holds health and safety as first priority and as such has been vigilant in upholding and following the Ministry of Health guidelines to keep both their staff and clients safe since the Corona Virus Pandemic.
Besides this, the organisation has partnered with other organisations to support cross border truck drivers to empower them and enable them to stay safe while they work.
Information for staff and clients
• A set of Standard Operating Procedures has been developed that is supposed to be religiously followed by staff and clients. These are updated as and when necessary
• Safe Way Right Way has introduced flexible work arrangements therefore staff who can work from home are able to do so. This is to reduce physical contact.
• Since the end of the partial lockdown, Safe Way Right Way Driver Training Centre is operating at half capacity to enable social distancing and avoid congestion.
• Clients are encouraged to call or use social media for any inquiries to reduce the number of walk-ins.
• Regular updates are shared with staff and clients on the status of the infections in the country and neighboring countries and any new related information.
• The office has adopted virtual meetings to reduce the need for face to face interactions.
• At the start of each day the staff and the trainees have a health and safety segment
Since the Covid-19 Pandemic, Cross border truck drivers in Uganda have been met with a lot of challenges among which is the high risk to contract the virus due to the fact that they interact with many people on their journey and indeed their infection rate has been the highest in the country.
To respond to their crisis, Safe Way Right Way and Transaid, UK secured funding from the Employment for Development Programme to ehance the safety of the truck drivers. One of the challenges we noted early on was that although there was already printed materials available, and in circulation, none targeted truck drivers specifically.
So we developed information materials on personal protection against Covid 19 We also wanted to remind them of the basic defensive driving behaviours. This information has been produced in English, Swahili, Luganda and French, printed on posters and is fixed on the trucks.
To complement this we also developed and released audio messages with similar information in English Swahili and Lugnda and are currently being shared through a Whatsapp chatbot. 10,000 drivers have been targeted for this information.
The Whatsapp chatbot can be accessed can be accessed by typing “HI” to +256 702 745 745
Besides the information, working with Amalgamated Transporters and General Workers Union and Uganda Professional Drivers Network, we are distributing personal protective equipment which includes a reusable face mask, a water container and soap. This is to assist the drivers to wash their hands and clean the crucial areas of their trucks as often they need to. 4,000 drivers have been targeted to receive these kits.
These items are being given out by a team of trained Field Officers at the busy border points and rest points in Busia, Malaba, Elegu, Pakwach, Lukaya and Mutukula.
SAFE WAY RIGHT WAY
RT