Monthly Archives: September 2023

11.9.23 Back to school

Our new A level students Elizabeth, Yohana and Pascali reported to their schools in August. They were allocated places by the Ministry of Education on the strength of their O level results. This is a major achievement in itself. Credit goes to the young people and to Busega Scotland’s teacher at Mayega, Mr Reni, who provides invaluable tutoring. He is second from the left in the photograph.
Elizabeth is studying English, Geography and History at Dutwa Secondary School.
The boys are at Minaki Secondary School. Yohana is studying Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and Paschali is doing Chemistry, Biology and Geography.
They are government schools that have good reputations. Dutwa was opened in 1998. Manaki is much older, being the third oldest secondary school in Tanzania. Originally an Anglican mission school, it was taken over by the Tanzanian government in 1970.
Good luck to our students in their studies.

6.9.23 Kisundi to fly

Women’s groups in our Family Support Project receive grants from Busega Scotland in three instalments. These occur on the recommendation of our supervisor, Julieth Godwin, who works closely with the groups for a year. If all goes well the women then ‘fly’ themselves. They become independent and we withdraw. The final stage is to obtain Community-based Organisation status from their local authority. As registered groups, they become eligible for support such as training and government loans.
Kisundi became a CBO in July and will receive their final payment of £185 in September. The growth in their vicoba (group bank) is typical of what our groups achieve (we have facilitated twelve). Up to now Busega Scotland has donated £678 to Kisundi and the thirty-three women have added £736 through business loan interest payments and savings. The vicoba is a simple concept. The seed corn capital gives the women a chance to help themselves.

6.9.23 Familiar faces

Christine and John visited Tanzania in June, and amongst many delights met up with three young men who had lived at Mayega Children’s Centre, and then went to college through our Moving-on programme. They have taken very different career paths.
Lukondia has had two recent contracts in construction, and in the last job he was a health and safety officer.
His catchphrase was always, ‘I’m very serious’! Not a bad characteristic in health and safety. He has submitted numerous applications for new opportunities and is confident with his work record, and references, that he will be successful.
Then we met Hassan at his work. He and his team were putting in a ceiling in a house in the final stages of construction. His leadership qualities were evident at Mayega, in college, where he was student president, and now as the team leader. The quality of their work is widely known and they have been employed as far a field as Dar es Salaam.
Finally there was Joffrey. A very familiar face as he video calls John for football chats! Unfortunately, he doesn’t support the right team. His work is in sales for a large Tanzania telecoms provider. He sells sim cards and phone credit, a business for which there is much competition. Joffrey says Busega Scotland taught him to be hard working and self-reliant.
In the Tanzanian working environment all three of our young men have to be both of these.