Vivo Energy Uganda, the distributor and marketer of Shell-branded fuels and lubricants, has donated 500 child safety helmets, valued at over UGX 40 million, to the Uganda Police Force. This donation supports ongoing nationwide road safety awareness and enforcement campaigns in public schools under as part of its ‘HeadsUp!’ No helmet, no boda campaign.
The child-specific safety helmets are intended for young learners who use motorcycle taxis (boda bodas) for their daily school commutes and addresses the vulnerability of children on Ugandan roads, where head injuries from accidents are a leading cause of severe injury and death due to a lack of protective gear.
This recent engagement marked another significant milestone in the long-standing collaboration between Vivo Energy Uganda and the Uganda Police Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety.
Over the years, the two organisations have worked closely to implement high-impact behavioural-change initiatives such as ‘Tweddeko’ – Every Life Matters campaign on NTV and the current ‘HeadsUp!’ No helmet, no boda campaign. These included regular, mutual road safety sensitisation visits to public schools across the country, as well as extensive media engagements and structured defensive driving training programs tailored for Public Service Vehicle (PSV) and boda boda drivers.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mrs Joanita Mukasa Menya, the Managing Director of Vivo Energy Uganda, emphasised that the donation reflects the company’s deep-seated commitment to institutional sustainability and corporate social responsibility: “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 40 million shillings in 500 child helmets is meant to protect these young lives.”
“Our partnership with the Uganda Police Force over the years has allowed us to systematically transition from mere reactive measures to proactive, life-saving enforcement and education. Protecting the next generation requires collective action, and we are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with parents of this nation, school heads and the Uganda Police in making our roads safer for learners,” she added.
Upon receiving the handover, AIGP Lawrence Nuwabiine, the Director for Traffic and Road Safety at the Uganda Police Force, commended Vivo Energy Uganda for its consistent public-private partnership, noting that corporate support was crucial for modern, data-driven law enforcement and public sensitisation.
“We welcome this timely and generous contribution from Vivo Energy Uganda. The Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety has prioritised behavioural change and public education as our primary tools to structurally bring down the unacceptable rate of road traffic accidents in Uganda. This donation directly supports our ongoing school sensitisation programmes, where our officers, alongside team members from Vivo Energy, actively teach children road discipline from an early age.”
Adding, “These 500 helmets will ensure that the vulnerable children we engage in public schools are not only legally compliant but physically protected. True road safety cannot be achieved by traffic penalty tickets alone; it is achieved through strategic collaborations, continuous public education, and providing the right safety infrastructure. We call upon other corporate entities to emulate Vivo Energy’s enduring commitment to saving lives.” At the official handover ceremony, Vivo Energy Uganda Managing Director, Mrs Joanita Mukasa Menya, was honoured by the AIGP Nuwabiine for her outstanding support and commitment to promoting road safety in Uganda.