Why truck drivers?

Throughout many of the countries within southern, eastern and western Africa, the railway infrastructure is still significantly underdeveloped. As a result, the majority of freight is transported by road.

In 2005, when the United Nations World Food Programme tried to deliver food in response to an emergency situation, it was challenged by a significant lack of truck drivers. Quick research revealed that truck drivers, and therefore the freight transport industry within southern Africa, was being badly hit by the impact of AIDS.

In fact, HIV was not the only prevalent disease. Communities based along the main transport corridors were affected by other sexually transmitted infections and communicable diseases, requiring a fast-moving, practical solution to tackle the issue.

At North Star Alliance, our aim is to keep long distance truck drivers and the surrounding communities healthy and safe. We do this by providing health care services in a number of Roadside Wellness Centres, which are strategically set up across the continent.

Why are we so concerned for their health? The majority of the companies transporting freight in the region are small or medium enterprises and cannot afford to provide health care or health insurance coverage. With disease so prevalent, the numbers of drivers available to transport freight has, over time, decreased dramatically. These drivers represent a whole industry that is fighting to survive and, without them, many businesses within Africa cannot be sustained.