By Lake Zone Watch Writer
Barrick North Mara yesterday handed out gifts to children centres, hospitals and traditional leaders in Tarime district to brighten their Christmas celebrations as year 2023 comes to a close.
Centres which were recipients of the presents are Angel House, City of Hope and ATFGM Masanga – each of which received two goats, 100 kilos of rice, sugar, beans and maize flour, aside from getting cooking oil, salt, soft drinks and biscuits.
A consignment of soft drinks for patients was also sent to Nyangoto Health Centre and Nyamwaga Hospital respectively.
Traditional leaders from clans of the Waireg, Wanyabasi and Wanyamongo joined the association of 12 clans of the Kurya and turned up at Barrick North Mara Community Relations offices to collect their gifts.
They were led by the association’s chairman, Sylvanus Mtatiro, and each of them walked home with a cow, rice, sugar, maize flour, cooking oil, salt and 500,000/- cash for their people.
The beneficiaries were gratified by Barrick North Mara for the donation and wished the workers best of luck in their mining activities.
“We thank you so much for the gifts. May God bless you and protect you against any harm,” said Nuru Anthony of the Agel House children centre.
Thanking the gold mine for the season’s presents on behalf of their fellow children, Chacha Yusuf and Emmy Wilfred, said it was heartening to see how the mine brightened their Christmas. “May God bless you; we’ll continue praying for you,” Emmy said.
Presenting the gifts, Apolinary Lyambiko, the Barrick North Mara Gold Mine General Manager, said the aim was to strengthen relations between the mine and its surrounding local communities.
“We decided it would be wise to celebrate Christmas with the community,” he said, while praising the teachers for the work done to children’s welfare.
He counselled the children to work hard, respect their teachers and guardians and observe discipline in order to realise their educational dreams.
Lyambiko thanked the traditional leaders for their role in reprimanding gangs of youth who frequently intrude the mine to commit crime.
“May I take this opportunity to thank the traditional leaders for their endless efforts to educate the community. Let’s continue doing it until these acts of intrusion are stamped out,” he said, at the same time wishing them Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2024.
North Mara Goldmine is operated by Barrick Gold in partnership with the Government of Tanzania through Twiga Minerals Corporation.
