Community Health Promoters (CHPs) and environment field workers based in Lugari and Likuyani constituencies have received 210 bicycles worth Sh6.3 million to enhance service delivery at the grassroots.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at the county offices in Lumakanda, Lugari Constituency, Kakamega County Executive Committee Member for Health Livingston Imbayi and his Water, Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change counterpart Peninah Mukabane said the bicycles will enhance mobility and effectiveness in delivery of essential health and environment services.
Imbayi noted that mobility is critical for the CHPs and the environment field officers, hence the bicycles will enable them to reach more households, conduct timely follow-ups and respond faster to health- and environment-related issues.
He said, “We are handing over these bicycles to our grassroots workers to ease their work. We want the CHPs to reach the sick swiftly and those in ward environment committees to handle environmental-related issues as fast as possible.
“The bicycles are not the ordinary type as they are designed to withstand the rugged nature of our roads in the villages.”
Imbayi disclosed that plans are underway to ensure all the CHPs and the environment field workers across the county get bicycles to ease their work.
Mukabane on her part said the bicycles will immensely enhance environmental conservation efforts of the ward climate change committees as they will be able to reach more people.
She said the use of the bicycles will also play a critical role in reducing carbon emissions originating from fossil fuels hence alleviating global warming.
“Additionally, our workers at the grassroots are not paid salaries like other workers but rather they depend on stipends hence bicycles are the best mode of transport for them as they don’t need fuel.” She said.
On the issue of climate change Mukabane disclosed that the county government has so far planted over 2 million trees across the county and plans are underway to plant more.
She said, “We have planted trees in primary schools within the county, in all our gazetted forests and some at Misango hills.
“We have also given beehives to the local communities in order to conserve biodiversity besides giving and encouraging them to use energy saving jikos to prevent them from cutting down more trees.”
Buffalo Bicycles Project Coordinator Peter Wechuli said mobility is a challenge to most of the volunteer workers at the grassroots level and hence lauded the county government for the bicycle initiative.
“The CHPs are walking for long distances to do their work and those dealing with environmental issues are also covering long distances to go to households and provide education. This is therefore a timely investment that will boost the health and the environment sector.” He stated.
Wechuli, however, noted that the donation is still not adequate, hence the county government needs to continue partnering with his organization so that more workers can be reached.
He said, “We are looking at the county that has over 4000 CHPs and another 2000 workers and resource persons working within the environment space who are yet to receive bicycles. We are open to discussion and we are ready to support the county government.”
Abraham Kipkemei a CHP from Likuyani and Nickson Salim an environment field officer based in Lugari lauded the county government for the bicycle donation saying it will play a big role in enhancing their mobility and ability to reach more people with ease.
By Melechezedeck Ejakait
