Monthly Archives: October 2020

22.10.20 Recognition

Julieth Godwin is Busega Scotland’s Assistant Project Leader. She has special responsibility for women’s groups and supporting young people who have left Mayega Children’s Centre and are living in the community. She has great energy and people skills.
This has been recognised outside of Busega Scotland. Julieth has three children, with two of them attending Pendo Primary School.The school is in a group of three (with 767 pupils) and there is a combined parents’ council. Julieth was elected chair of the council as parents know she will speak up on their behalf.
The Standard 7 pupils had a recent graduation celebration and Julieth was amongst the invited guests. The guest of honour was the District Commissioner, who is the local representative of the President. Julieth is pictured at the ceremony, first on the right in the front row. Congratulations to her.

22.10.20 Care and commitment

 

Susie arrived at Mayega Children’s Centre a couple of years ago with no real sight and had never been to school. She has travelled from Mayega to the Kilimanjaro Medical Centre (KCMC) in Moshi on five occasions and has had multiple eye operations. The round trip by bus each time is over 1,000 miles. She is a very positive girl.

Susie’s trust in the Children’s Centre and hospital staff is remarkable. Her rock through all the KCMC travails has been the Centre’s matron, Leya Lusana. Leya’s commitment to Susie is total. The photo shows them on the bus in Mwanza in the early morning, about to depart for Moshi.

On this last trip aids were provided to assist Susie at school. The telescope is to help see the blackboard and the magnifying glass for close-up work.

Susie’s story has generated a lot of support, including a concert to raise funds and individual donations. Her bravery and spirit inspires people. The annual review at KCMC is already in the diary. Leya and Susie will set off for Moshi again next October. The care she receives through Busega Scotland gives a vulnerable child hope for the future and we will be there every step of the way.

14.10.20 People and Places

This is Busega Scotland’s most unusual fundraising project in 2020, that we hope will connect people far and wide.
The poster provides full information but, in essence, it is a community writing project designed in a small way to offset the effects of Covid. Last year Big Busega Parties connected people and People and Places can do that again this year.
We hope readers will be inspired to take part and please bring the project to the attention of any folk you think will be interested. It is our hope that many authors will come forward.

13.10.20 Maintenance

Running a children’s home has many challenges.
First and foremost, there is care, health and education of the children. Over the years we have made great strides and our children are happy, healthy and well cared for. Educational attainment is at a level never previously achieved.
We now have a piped water supply, toilets and showers and solar power. The three buildings are ready for mains electricity and fundi meme (electrician) Richard has finished preparation for connection. One snag. The electrical supply organisation TANESCO has a shortage of meters and can’t connect until we are allocated one. We have to be patient.
Making repairs across our site is a regular (and expensive) occurrence. We have a very good builder, fundi Deus, who we engage for this work. We receive a bill of quantity (itemised estimate) for each job and from this a price is agreed and a contract drawn up. Recently the fence has been repaired and work is now required on the septic tank.
This is not glamorous work in any shape or form but helps us improve our built environment. You will note that Deus was careful not to damage the passion fruit vines while doing the fence repairs.

1.10.20 Yes we can!

More than anything else, Busega Scotland has facilitated a community of people interested and committed to supporting vulnerable children and families in Tanzania. September 2020 shows this perfectly.
The Busega Scotland Kiltwalk season is finished. 2 people walked a marathon, 13 did 5 miles and 6 walked 77 miles of the Great Glen Way. The walking attracted over 200 donations from as far away as Germany and Japan. The total amount raised for Busega Scotland was an incredible £16,472. This included 100% top up donated by the Hunter Foundation..
While this was going on, the Touch Ministry in Mwanza was delivering sacks of rice and maize to Mayega Children’s Centre. The Ministry was doing what it could to help and this is not unique in Tanzania. One local safari company makes donations, the District Council pays two-thirds of the Centre’s water bill and government engineers have provided ‘benefit in kind’ professional expertise to the Mayega Water Project.
The Kiltwalk fundraising has provided Busega Scotland with a level of financial stability that we never thought possible in these Covid times. The challenges of raising funds and using them to best effect will always be with us but It is heartening that so many folk put their trust in our work in Tanzania.
To all we say, ‘asante sana’, thank you, and know by coming together, ‘tu na jenga nyumba moja’, we are ‘building one house’.