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Williamson Diamonds spends 65m/- on workers’ food relief
2006-03-13 07:40:05
By Guardian Reporter
Williamson Diamonds Limited (WDL), a mining company based in Mwadui, Shinyanga Region, has bought food worth 65m/- for its 700 plus workers.
WDL Managing Director Tony Devlin told media editors who toured the mining sites in Mwadui on Friday that the money served as a gesture of support to its workers, adding that much of its assistance was directed to local communities surrounding the mines.
A jovial worker who preferred anonymity displayed to The Guardian a 54kg of beans at a food distribution premises, saying she was delighted that her six member family would not starve.
Since 1998, Williamson Diamonds Limited has been contributing to various communities. Last month, the company contributed USD 50,000 to the President’s Relief Food Fund, said the managing director, adding that in 2005, the company spent 13m/- to fumigate Mwadui township.
’’We also spend 350m/- annually to run the company’s hospital, which caters for the surrounding villages,’’ he said, adding that the hospital is the best in terms of services, in the whole region.
Devlin said the company also sets aside 75m/- every year to run a temporary primary school.
’’In 2003 we spent 70m/- as drought assistance to the local community, just to mention a few,’’ he said.
To justify their slogan of ’a diamond is forever,’ Devlin said his company had been promoting the development of local enterprises.
’’The company subsidises 165 small and medium-sized businesses in the village of Mwadui and the surrounding area.
Moreover, we have provided seed capital for the establishment of three major projects aimed at creating local job opportunities, by empowering Tanzanians with the skills to carry out brick-making, honey producing and mushroom-growing,’’ he said.
As for provision of secure water supply, the managing director said the company had constructed four dams in order to ensure that the community is consistently getting safe and clean water.
He said last year the company celebrated the launch of National Water Week with a contribution of USD 8,700.
The money was pumped into the funds which were set up to build a large dam at Idede-Seke.
The project, according to Devlin, was a three-way partnership between his company, the government and the local community.
Commenting on the support in the fight against HIV/Aids, Devlin said WDL had implemented a comprehensive policy, run by an appointed co-ordinator.
’’The policy is multifaceted and involves our company and local government authority. Basically, it focuses on the distribution of condoms, free HIV-testing and counselling.
Also on the agenda is community education campaign on safe sex which is supported by trained peer health educators,’’ said Devlin.
On education, he said his company recognises that education is the future and in 2005 it provided assistance to local schools at Mwadui.
’’So far four schools in Mwadui township are housed in company buildings, and the company supplies them with subsidized electricity, free treated water and access to other township amenities among others,’’ he said.
On environment, he said not only does Williamson Diamonds Ltd operate according to the strictest environmental standards but it also helps promote environmental awareness amongst the wider community.
’’So far we have planted more than 80,000 trees in the mining lease area, at Mwadui village and at the schools of surrounding villages since 2001,’’ he said, adding that in 2005,the company won the Presidential Environmental Award, given annually to mining companies which demonstrate high commitment in environmental care.
Williamson Diamonds Limited (WDL) is owned 25 per cent by the government and 75 per cent by De Beers and is one of the largest government/ private sector mining partnerships in the world.
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