A non-governmental organisation, World Vision Tanzania, has donated various items worth over 48m/-to more than 5,000 flood affected victims in Manyoni District following a torrential downpour in the area recently.
The donation included 2,120 mosquito nets for children and women valued at 15.9m/-, 120,000 water purification tablets worth 4.9m/-and 1,240 bags of sweet potato seeds worth 26.04m/-, while 1.2m/- was set aside for transportation and distribution issues.
Handing over the donation at Lusilile village, Kitinku Ward in Manyoni District, Central Zone Manager for World Vision Tanzania, Michael Mbwambo, said the support should not only be construed as extending a helping hand to one in need but rather should be seen as a fulfillment to one of the organization’s key pillars.
In response, Singida Regional Commissioner (RC), Dr Rehema Nchimbi commended the organization for chipping in at the right time, saying the government appreciated and highly valued the donation issued.
Dr Nchimbi further urged all residents in the region to ensure that they protected and preserved the environment in which they lived, in order to avoid such disasters in future.
She noted that more often than not, rain had been considered a blessing but when people destroyed the environment deliberately, they had to suffer the tragic consequences.
“Men cut down trees extravagantly to make charcoal. As a result, the land is left naked without any natural vegetation. People demolish river banks and others build houses on areas where water is supposed to pass. What else do we have to expect?” queried the RC.
“Those felling trees are our relatives, we know them well but we just look at them. Destroyers of river banks and those who build on waterways are also well known. When disasters happen, people start pleading to the government, as if the government told them to do so. Its now time for you people to start taking action to avoid any further disasters,” she said.
The Regional Commissioner then turned her attention to the leaders and executives at all levels in the region, wondering why they were so reluctant to take punitive action against people who damage the environment in their vicinities.
Meanwhile, Dr Nchimbi has asked World Vision Tanzania to consider providing people with beehives as part of the government’s effort to protect the environment and boost people’s income through its slogan “Let the axe go, take hold of beehive” which simply discourages deforestation for charcoal purposes in favour of beekeeping.
