KISIMA PROVIDES RELIEF FROM RAINS

First on the left - Corporate Sales Manager (Martin Earl), Sendon from the Right: Retail Sales manager (Benito Xavery) presenting Rain Ponchos to Local Vendors in Buguruni Area.

 Left: Finance & Admin Manager (Sachin Smart), Centre : Director (Ali Dhanji) , Right: Production Supervisor (Mohamed Saleh) Walking to Keko Area for Rain Poncho Distribution.

Street vendor continuing sale of snacks in the rain due to his new rain poncho from Kisima.  

By Niccomediatz

With the current heavy rains continuing to pound most parts of the country, Temeke residents in Dar es Salaam could afford a smile after receiving free ponchos.

The ponchos were distributed by the management and staff of Kisima, a local pure drinking water bottling company, which were handed over to mostly bodaboda riders, pedestrians and street vendors.

Speaking to our reporter during the distribution exercise, the Kisima Managing Director, Ali Dhanji said that the company decided to distribute the free ponchos as part of the company’s efforts to give back to the community.

He said that during the current rains hitting most parts of the country, most people are affected, which in turns affects their daily activities and income, therefore they decided to make life easier for them so that they can continue to generate income.

Mr Dhanji further said that the motivation for the exercise came last year when rains flooded their factory and paralyzed most of their activities, creating losses worth millions of shillings in the process.

He however said that this year, they thank the Temeke Municipal Council for improving the infrastructure in the Changombe Industrial Area, and making business as usual for them without any flooding.

“This encouraged us to further do our part and give back to our community. We will continue distributing our 6,000 Rain Ponchos over the course of this week in different areas of Dar-es-Salaam,” said Mr. Dhanji

 He said that it is really satisfying to see that a rain poncho worth 2,000/= can increase the sales of a street vendor by 20,000/= on the same day.

He further said that as a company the rains destabilized their operations, so they imagined if it affected them that much, how about a common mwananchi who cannot afford to miss work because of the rains.   

  

Residents thanked the water company for their timely intervention, saying that other corporate companies should emulate the gesture.

Omar Twaha, a hawker on the streets of Dar es Salaam, said that most of the time he is forced to avoid being drenched when it rains heavily, but with the rain poncho he can now continue with his business at any time.

In layman’s language, a poncho is a plastic cloak with a hood that acts as a raincoat, and which, because of its material, can be carried easily.

The initiative, said Mr Dhanji, is one part of the KISIMA CARES program of 2015. He said that in line with KISIMA’s mission to give back to the community, the company will be drilling bore wells and handing them over to long-serving staff. 

“This will allow their families to operate sustainable businesses of selling water in areas with scarce supply. The company also donates free Drinking Water to orphanages and shelters for the disabled in and around Dar-es-Salaam,” he said.