THE 2025 ‘Twende Butiama’ cycling tour has donated various educational supplies to four primary schools in the Singida Municipality, aiming to improve teaching and learning conditions.

The donations, delivered yesterday to Minga, Tumaini, Unyankindi, and Somoku Primary Schools, included 30 mattresses, five beds, 20 bedsheets, 10 desks for children with disabilities, 10 classroom chairs, six wheelchairs, and 100 tree seedlings.

Twende Butiama Chairperson Gabriel Landa handed over the items to Omary Maje, Head of the Early and Primary Education Department in Singida.

Landa said the annual cycling event, sponsored by Vodacom Tanzania PLC in partnership with Stanbic Bank Tanzania, contributes to community development in every region it passes through.

This year’s cyclists began their journey on July 3 in Dar es Salaam and will conclude on July 13 in Butiama, Mara Region. Participants include riders from Tanzania’s Mbeya, Iringa, Dodoma, Tabora, Kagera, Lindi, Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Mara, Coast, and Dar es Salaam regions, as well as cyclists from neighbouring Kenya, Congo, Burundi, and Uganda.

“This tour honours the legacy of the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, whose vision continues to guide Tanzania,” Landa said.

Over the past two years, the tour has planted more than 100,000 trees, reached over 23,000 people with mobile health clinics, distributed 1,900 desks to 32 public schools, and donated 50 bicycles to students who live far from school.

Chiha Nchimbi, Vodacom’s Central Zone Manager, said the company’s support targets the three key development enemies Mwalimu Nyerere spoke of: ignorance, poverty and disease.

“As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, Vodacom is proud to partner with schools through this initiative to give back to society,” Nchimbi said.

Project coordinator Deborah Kaluzi urged more stakeholders to support education, health, and environmental initiatives, encouraging youth to remain patriotic and committed to national development.

Geofrey Mwijage, head of customer services at Stanbic Bank, said the bank is celebrating 30 years of service and honouring Mwalimu Nyerere’s legacy by investing in education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability for future generations.