We sometimes get asked by donors why we have capital costs like buying motorbikes or the occasional 4×4, and the reason is that without these modes of transport, we, and the teams we work with in other organisations such as fisheries and forestry, can’t do their jobs. However, we are a charity that prides itself on effective use of funding and therefore, we don’t buy brand new vehicles very often. Where we can, we maintain and repair them instead.

We work closely with the Government Fisheries Department on our fish conservation project and during a visit to their Mangochi office last year, saw their pick-up truck. It was propped up on rocks, the wheels off and the rest of the body looking rather shabby – and this was the vehicle that they were expected to use to carry out their work.

We asked them to find out what repairs were needed, and the cost, and funded the repairs. For US$3,500, the vehicle has been restored to its former glory and the fisheries team are now able to do their job. It would have cost US$65,000 to buy a new one.

Simple and low cost solutions are always the best! Learn more here.