John Heirs, Construction Training and Compliance Manager at The Malcolm Group, has returned from his fourth secondment for international development organisation, Transaid, spending two weeks training three new HGV driver trainers at the Industrial Training Centre (ITC) in Lusaka, Zambia.
Heirs’ first three secondments took place at the National Institute of Transport (NIT) in Dar es Salaam in 2015, 2016, and 2020, playing a key role in supporting Transaid’s longstanding Professional Driver Training Project in Tanzania.
Reflecting on his first visit to Zambia, Heirs says: “I wanted to deliver a training input that made these driver trainers feel confident in their ability to train others. The skills that keep you safe on the road are universal, and critically important. I know everyone came out of the sessions feeling like they’d learned something new, myself included.
“My time at the NIT was incredible, but getting to work with an entirely new group, in a new country, has been really special. I have been so fortunate to have these opportunities.”
The Malcolm Group has been a Transaid corporate partner since 2014, during which time it has provided financial contributions, staff secondments, and vehicle donations, as well as helped staff to participate in Transaid’s frequent cycle challenges, raising additional funds to support the organisation’s work.
Caroline Barber, Chief Executive of Transaid, says: “Both John and The Malcolm Group have our sincerest gratitude for sharing their time and expertise. It’s this level of support from our corporate partners which makes the work we do possible, and ultimately helps to transform and save lives.”
Transaid has been supporting the ITC since August 2008, with a focus on building the capacity to deliver professional HGV and PSV driver training. This partner-led approach helps facilitate knowledge and skills exchange via a proven ‘train the trainer model’, helping to deliver sustainable improvements to driver training standards in sub-Saharan Africa.
For more information and to find out how you can support the organisation visit www.transaid.org.
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Note to Editor:
About Transaid
Transaid transforms lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport. Founded by Save the Children, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and its Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, the international development organisation works with communities, partners, and governments to solve transport challenges throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
Transaid works in two core areas, road safety and access to health, to solve two of the biggest transport challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. Transaid’s road safety work focuses on influencing safe driver behaviour with long term programmes in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, responding to local needs for improved training for drivers and riders of trucks, buses, motorcycles and forklift trucks. On the access to health side, Transaid is working with local partners and communities to strengthen access to health services, primarily in rural areas. They are also working to strengthen health supply chains in collaboration with local partners and governments.
Transaid enjoys strong backing from the transport and logistics industry and the active involvement of its patron, HRH The Princess Royal.
For further press information:
Maddy Matheson at Transaid: +44 (0)20 7387 8136 / maddy@transaid.org
Natalie Ganshert or James Keeler at Garnett Keeler PR: +44 (0)20 8647 4467, or by email to natalie.ganshert@garnettkeeler.com / james.keeler@garnettkeeler.com
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