Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in Tharaka Nithi County have received a major boost after Buffalo Bicycles, in partnership with Village Hopecore International, donated 150 bicycles to enhance the delivery of primary healthcare services at the community level.
The bicycles are expected to improve mobility for CHPs, enabling them to reach households more efficiently, particularly in hard-to-reach and geographically dispersed areas across the county.
Village Hopecore International founder Kajira Mugambi lauded the CHPs’ work, describing it as a calling that gives life meaning and purpose. He urged the health promoters to keep hope alive while serving their communities, noting that living a meaningful life is a matter of choice.
“Serving as a CHP is about choosing to live a life of significance to others. Your flames of hope should not go out as you continue to serve the people,” Mr. Mugambi said, while also thanking the donor and the county government for supporting community health workers.
Buffalo Bicycles Africa Region Coordinator Maureen Kolenyo noted that the organization recognizes the vital role CHPs play in improving health outcomes. She said the bicycles would enhance their quality of life while strengthening service delivery.
“In health, distance is everything. It can mean the difference between life and death, early or delayed care, crisis or solution,” said Ms. Kolenyo. She added that the bicycles are multi-purpose, capable of carrying loads of up to 100 kilograms, allowing CHPs to perform their duties effectively while also accessing markets to improve livelihoods.
Mechanics will be trained in the sub-counties to maintain the bicycles for long-term use, and Ms. Kolenyo expressed hope that more resources would be mobilised to provide bicycles to all CHPs in the county.
Tharaka Nithi Deputy Governor Nyaga Muisraeli, who was the Chief Guest at the donation event, praised the partners and donors, describing the initiative as a practical step toward strengthening community-based healthcare.
“The CHPs are the backbone of primary healthcare. Their daily work is fundamental to the success of universal health coverage through household visits and early disease identification,” said Muisraeli.
He added that the bicycles would enhance mobility, reduce travel time, and improve emergency response, particularly for pregnant mothers, newborns, and patients with chronic illnesses. The initiative aligns with the county’s Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) and is expected to improve household coverage, immunization tracking, follow-up of defaulters, and community-level disease surveillance.
Deputy Governor Muisraeli reaffirmed the county government’s commitment to supporting CHPs through training, digital tools, and continuous supervision to strengthen healthcare delivery at the grassroots level.
By Dickson Mwiti
