TotalEnergies Tanzania has rolled out its road safety education programme in Dodoma Region for the first time, with Mnadani Primary School pupils receiving training on September 24, 2025.
The company’s Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs, Ms Getrude Mpangile, said the initiative is designed to equip children with knowledge of traffic rules and regulations to ensure they use roads safely when travelling to and from school.
“This year, a total of seven schools are taking part in the programme, including one for children with disabilities, to ensure no child is left behind,” she said.
Ms Mpangile explained that the programme employs creative methods such as drawing, singing and drama in collaboration with Nafasi Art Space to make road safety education engaging for children.
She recalled that Makuburi Primary School in Dar es Salaam previously won the road safety competition, a victory that led to the construction of a protective wall around the school to enhance pupil safety.
According to her, the competitions take place at national, continental and international levels, with the global stage held in Paris, France.
Mnadani Primary School Assistant Head Teacher, Mr Gesi Janken, said the training had already made a difference.
“Our school is located near a major highway and used to face frequent road accidents involving pupils. This education has greatly improved safety,” he said.
Nafasi Art Space coordinator, Mr Felix Mchira, said art was chosen as a teaching tool because it resonates well with children.
“Most road signs are visual symbols. Using art makes the lessons more relatable and easier for pupils to understand,” he said, noting that the programme has been implemented in Dar es Salaam, Pwani, Morogoro and now Dodoma, with a strong response from schools.
Pupils also shared their experiences. Sixth-grader Jasmin Yasin said she learned about identifying road signs, including zebra crossings, while her classmate Asha Abdallah said she now knows how to cross safely by checking traffic on both sides.
Another pupil, Bon Joseph, appriciated TotalEnergies for the initiative and pledged to act as a road safety ambassador among fellow students.
The pupils collectively promised to observe road safety rules and extend the knowledge to their peers in an effort to reduce accidents.
