By Simon Turibamwe
Most of the communities hosting industries, always take it for a curse instead of a blessing but this has not been the case for residents of Bujenje in Masindi, the home of Kinyara Sugar Limited. This is because Kinyara Sugar Limited has been keen in giving back to communities as part of its corporate social responsibility. Under their CSR programs, Kinyara Sugar Limited was able to identify that the host community was behind in the areas of health services where majority found it difficult to get services from Masindi main hospital or some of the private owned health facilities in the area.
Kinyara Sugar Limited has been able to provide primary health services such as free ambulance services, free safe male circumcision (SMC), antenatal services, HIV services and anti-malarial treatment. Some of the residents have praised Kinyara Sugar Limited which they say has reduced sexual and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) because of its robust community outreach initiative that extends medical services to the various trading centres, schools and churches across Masindi. One of the most excited residents who has come out to confess to the media is Mwesigwa Araali who told this news website that recently when he was stuck at home with his wife who wanted to give birth, he was only saved by Kinyara’s free ambulance which facilitated her movements from Bujenje to Masindi hospital. “My wife successfully gave birth to a health son courtesy of free ambulance services from Kinyara that facilitated her movement from Bujenje to Masindi main hospital,” said Mwesigwa a resident of Bujenje. The Sugar company is not only praised for free ambulances but also the subsidized consultation fairs of only Shs2000 that is affordable for all. For emphasis in health services, camps are setup periodically on a monthly basis for the locals to access medical services. Opira Michael, a resident of Masindi town which is approximately 17kms from the Kinyara Sugar Limited confessed having been relieved of urinary tract infections (UTIs) that become contagious to him, following a circumcision procedure he underwent at Kinyara Hospital a year ago. According to Mathias Wanok, the communications manager Kinyara Sugar Limited aims to remain the exemplary in improving livelihood in host communities. Wanok says that the reason to concentrate in areas of education and health is a strategy to operate in a healthy and well-off community. ‘’Being an exemplary corporate citizen, its necessary at Kinyara Sugar Limited, that we aim to improve community livelihood which is a holistic approach that supports the entire sugarcane growing area and the surrounding. It is the reason we support the community right from their educational and health well-being through our agile corporate social investment strategy.’’ Said Wanok, the Communications Manager Kinyara Sugar Limited. For comments, call or text 0752510225.
