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Paul Matthew is the founder of Trucking against AIDS, he started this project in 1996 in response to the decline in truck drivers in the transport sector. "When we investigated this problem, we realised that a lot of drivers were victims of Malaria and TB and that is when we recognised that HIV is a problem in the road freight. As a sector we decided to look into inhouse wellness programmes but that didn't help until I had a conversation with the unions and they told me that there is a big sigma with HIV so there is no way the truckers are going to disclose their status to management. Then they gave me an idea that healthcare for drivers has to be addressed out of the working environment," said Paul.
He remembers the humble beginnings of the project in 1999, particularly the very cold nights on the N3 highway, one of South Africa's most popular transport routes. Paul set up a tent in Harry Smith, working with a nurse from Qwa-Qwa and they encouraged truck drivers to get a medical check. The outcome of this attempt was shocking as they found that the majority of the truckers had STI's therefore they committed themselves to providing treatment for the drivers to decrease the spreading of HIV.
"I came up with the idea of a roadside wellness centre that will assist truckers away from their work place. I managed to get funding from the Department of Health in South Africa with the assistance of Nono Simelela and Ria Schoeman. The project brought us international recognition, in 2002 we partnered with United Nations and we set up an operation for them at Mwaza which is a border post between Malawi and Mozambique. In 2006 we partnered with TNT express and founded North Star Alliance."
Currently North Star Alliance has 32 wellness centres in 13 countries in the African continent. Paul's mission is to ensure that truckers and sexworkers get treatment and manage their health. Paul and his team are faced with the challenge of maintaining the centres due to lack of funds and difficulty to get corporate business to invest in the project which will in return benefit their truckers.
"Thanks to Dira Sengwe for recognising our hard work and for putting us on the map, hopefully this award will open the right doors for funding."
