National Aviation Services (NAS), a leading global aviation services provider and one of Agility’s subsidiaries, donated 7,000 COVID-19 Rapid Diagnostic Testing (RDT) kits to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Uganda.

These RDT kits will allow the MoH of Uganda’s COVID-19 National Task Force to carry out tests and get results within 15 minutes. The shipment was carried out with the support of the Group Chief Executive Officer of NAS, and the General Manager of NAS Uganda.

The test kits were transported from Kuwait. NAS helped sort on the ground movement of the shipment and customs clearance expertise to deliver the kits in three weeks.

National Aviation Services (NAS) and Agility are collaborating to support Born to Learn, an education NGO operating in Tanzania. With NAS and Agility’s resources, a technological and multimedia classroom was outfitted to support 350 students, from ages 3 to 22. Our contributions have provided computers, tables & chairs, a project & screen, and monthly maintenance costs. In addition to vocational skills training, the classroom will be used to teach English, math, biology, history, geography, arts, and music. As well, internships will be offered to deserving students at NAS offices in Tanzania. NAS employees will also engage in running workshops relating to technology and computer use to further enhance the children’s knowledge and skills.

National Aviation Services and Agility partnered to construct a canteen for a local school in Bassam, Cote d’Ivoire. The new canteen created a shaded area for 250 students and faculty to take a break and eat a meal in a safe, comfortable space. The canteen includes a special ramp to make it wheelchair accessible and is available for community members to use outside of school hours. Prior to the construction of the canteen, the students had no shelter from the heat or rain during mealtime, or had to return home for meals. By having a canteen on the school property, students are more likely to stay at school for the entire day.

National Aviation Services (NAS) has joined the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority’s efforts to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by introducing electric forklifts and tractors into its operations in the country.

Twelve new electric vehicles replace traditional diesel-fueled equipment for baggage and cargo handling around the aircrafts, ensuring a quieter and cleaner working environment in the baggage sorting area. By switching from fuel to electric-powered equipment, there are several environmental benefits, including reduced petroleum and fuel consumption and improved air quality, particularly at indoor facilities. The equipment is also smaller in size, occupying lesser space and leaving more room for maneuvering. Investments like these are not just good for the environment, but lead to operational savings.

NAS, a signatory of the UN Global Compact, envisions future investments into electric and solar-powered equipment on the ramp and baggage sorting area. In Uganda NAS manages 25 flights daily, with 1.3 million passengers and 2.6 million bags handled annually. The operations are serviced by 810 employees.

From a story originally published here.