Vivo Energy Uganda has partnered with the Uganda Police Force to enhance road safety among school children through the donation of 500 child safety helmets valued at over shs40 million.
The donation, made under the company’s ‘HeadsUp! No Helmet, No Boda’ campaign, is aimed at protecting learners who rely on motorcycle taxis (boda bodas) for daily transportation to and from school.
The initiative supports ongoing nationwide road safety awareness and enforcement programmes led by the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, particularly in public schools where children remain highly vulnerable to road traffic injuries.
According to road safety data, head injuries from motorcycle accidents remain a leading cause of serious injury and death among children in Uganda, largely due to limited use of protective helmets.
This latest contribution builds on a long-standing partnership between Vivo Energy Uganda and the Uganda Police Force, which has previously delivered joint campaigns such as ‘Tweddeko – Every Life Matters’ and the ongoing ‘HeadsUp!’ initiative. The two institutions have also conducted school sensitisation programmes, media campaigns, and defensive driving training for public service and boda boda operators.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, the Managing Director of Vivo Energy Uganda, Joanita Mukasa Menya, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to road safety and community wellbeing.
“At Vivo Energy Uganda, safety defines our operations. Every day, thousands of children travel to school on boda bodas without helmets, facing significant risk. Our investment of over shs40 million in 500 child helmets is meant to protect these young lives,” she said.
She added that sustained collaboration with the police has helped shift road safety efforts from reactive enforcement to proactive prevention through education and awareness.
“Our partnership with the Uganda Police Force has enabled us to move towards life-saving enforcement and education. Protecting the next generation requires collective action from parents, schools, law enforcement, and the private sector,” she said.
The Director of Traffic and Road Safety at the Uganda Police Force, AIGP Lawrence Nuwabiine, commended Vivo Energy Uganda for its continued support, noting that partnerships with the private sector are critical in reducing road traffic accidents.
He said the donated helmets would directly support ongoing school-based sensitisation programmes aimed at instilling road discipline among learners from an early age.
“These 500 helmets will ensure that the vulnerable children we engage in public schools are not only legally compliant but physically protected. Road safety cannot be achieved through enforcement alone; it requires education, collaboration, and proper safety equipment,” he said.
He further called on other corporate organisations to support similar initiatives aimed at improving road safety across the country.
The Uganda Police Force and Vivo Energy Uganda reaffirmed their commitment to expanding joint road safety campaigns, particularly targeting school-going children and boda boda operators, as part of broader efforts to reduce road traffic injuries and fatalities in Uganda.
