The visit highlighted the flagship project of the Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM) in East Africa, an initiative focused on training, certification and equipping Kenya's fire brigades.
Wojtek Wilk, CEO of PCPM, commented: "We used this opportunity to brief the Kenyan government, including President William Ruto himself, on the results achieved by the Polish Center for International Aid in training and supporting fire brigades all across Kenya, all funded by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
The project, with a budget of USD 3.3 million, stands out for its cost-effectiveness. To put this into perspective, the total funding is equivalent to the cost of four or five fire engines.
Despite the relatively modest budget by international standards, this investment has arguably established Kenya as having the best firefighting training system in the region.
Between 2015 and 2023, this flagship project made notable strides. PCPM has trained 60 percent of Kenya's firefighters.
Further, the project involved the creation and accreditation of a vocational curriculum in firefighting, a crucial step in establishing a sustainable and professional firefighting workforce in Kenya.
In a direct response to the need for improved road traffic accident response capabilities, particularly along the busy Mombasa-Nairobi highway, the project saw the construction of two strategically located fire stations.
These stations are critical in managing the frequent accidents on this route, ensuring that trained personnel are readily available in emergencies.
Another significant aspect of the project is the donation of fire brigade equipment valued at over USD 1.5 million. This substantial investment in equipment has been crucial in enhancing the operational capacity of the Kenyan fire brigades.
Duda's visit underscored the profound impact of Poland's commitment to international aid and shone a light on how targeted, and well-managed international cooperation can yield important results, reporters were told.
This project exemplifies how strategic investments in training, infrastructure and equipment can dramatically improve emergency response capabilities in developing countries, officials said.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, prezydent.pl