Debbie and Robin Hill, who made a return visit to Tanzania as Busega Scotland volunteers last summer, have a converted barn in Shropshire. When they aren’t using it themselves they allow family, friends and former work colleagues to stay but don’t make a charge. The Hills publicise the work of Busega Scotland and guests are delighted to make contributions towards its work.
Robin said folk using the barn are ‘eager to support a charity without large administrative costs and salaries, and where they know that the use of the money in Africa is properly audited and accounted for’. Their generosity raised £1,155 for Busega Scotland (including Gift Aid) during the last financial year, as well as comparable amounts in the two previous years.
If that isn’t enough, Robin and Debbie are busy planning a quiz night at Leamington Irish Club on Saturday 7th April. The facilities are free of charge, so all money raised will go to Busega Scotland. The Hills will be delighted to provide further details (01926-424332) to anyone able to attend or would be willing to provide a raffle prize. It is hoped that Christine and John will be able to link up with the quiz night via Skype; they’ve already sent some questions for the round on Africa.

Cenzo Main and John Carney reach major personal milestones later this year. John is 65 on 23rd March and Cenzo is 60 on 30th March. What could be better than connecting the two birthdays with a sponsored walk for Busega Scotland? They are obviously too old for birthday presents!
The walk will be along the length of the iconic Speyside Way from Aviemore to Buckie, a total of 85 miles. That will be over a half-marathon length every day for 6 days – not bad for the golden oldies?
Training is about to start. Walk information will be on the website and circulated to supporters over the next while.
We are keen to see many friends joining in. Jenny Wallen has signed up for the whole walk, Peter Anderson also (probably) and Margaret Dickson may. Others will do days here and there. Please  contact John if you are interested in any way. email : busegascotland@gmail.com

Piped water has reached Mayega village for the first time this century! A pipe has been laid the last 5km and standpipes constructed. We received a video clip on 24th January showing a running tap. The pressure was low but the technicians are working on that.
Big congratulations must go to District Water Engineer Mohamed Yamlinga and his team, for all their hard work. The potential is there now to develop facilities in the Children’s Centre, school and village. Work is going on with the Rotary Club of Elgin to those ends. Volunteers, Arnold and Valerie Barrow are in Tanzania at present, with connecting the mains into the Centre on their work plan – subject to sufficient water pressure. After that, they will move on to arranging kitchen construction. Again, teamwork is bearing fruit.

The Baby Bundles project, conceived by volunteer Judy Campbell and based on the Scottish Baby Box, is going from strength to strength in Tanzania. While the project is part of Busega Scotland, it is so unique that work is underway to develop its own identity. John recently represented Judy at a presentation for HNC Visual Communication students at Moray College.
The students were presented with a brief for a Baby Bundles logo. The work will be carried out as if it were a commercial contract, giving the students experience in design and business standards. Thanks go to lecturer, Lynne Strachen, for supporting the project. The finalised logo should be available in April, by which time Judy will be back from Tanzania.
This is the third design project worked on jointly between Busega Scotland and Moray College. Our current logo came from another collaboration and Computer Aided Design students drew up plans for a guest house at Mayega (these are currently being converted to architectural drawings by CM Designs, who are very kind supporters of Busega Scotland).

A piped water for Mayega is getting closer. We were excited to receive this email from Mr Mohamed Yamlinga, District Water Engineer for Busega District:

‘We are expecting to test the water piped network (to Mayega) full of water on next Monday. The  work will be completed on the 9th  January 2018’.

How fantastic that will be. A water supply for the village will allow us to connect up the Children’s Centre, construct a kitchen and begin the vegetable garden.

At Mayega getting the children ready for the new school year is a major undertaking. School skirts, shorts and trousers are made locally. Shoe shopping is a rare event and takes time when you have many children!
The Mayega children were fortunate to get new rather than second hand shoes. School bags , exercise books and maths sets were also needed.

To find out what has been happening in the Moving On Project, take a look here.

Latest Moving On project Report

Bundle of Joy!  A new beginning!  A time of fear and hardship?

Sadly, many babies in Tanzania are born to poor families who cannot afford even the basic necessities.

The health and development of mother and baby in the early stages after birth are crucial to positive outcomes. In Tanzania, we have a unique opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable babies and their mothers.

Judy Campbell is working with Busega Scotland and Bukumbi Mission Hospital, to pioneer a project to provide “Baby Bundles” for these poor families. They will be produced locally and distributed through local hospitals and other contacts. The cost of each bundle is £20 and will make a significant difference to the health and well being of a baby and mother.  Included with the ‘Bundle’ is the payment of the hospital delivery fee. At Bukumbi it costs £3 for a normal delivery and more for a Caesarean Section.

The Baby Bundle is packed into a basin and tied up in a kitengi, a cloth wrap worn by the mother. The basin will be used to bath the baby and to wash the baby clothes. Each pack contains baby clothes, nappies, hat, a blanket and mosquito net, as well as laundry soap and baby oil etc. There is a cloth to wrap the new born in and fortified flour for the mother.  Here in the UK babies receive so many gifts. Will you make a gift for a baby who really needs it? Donations can be made at https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/babybundles

Piped water has long been a dream for the Mayega Children’s Centre, the local village and primary school. The excitement is building as the water pipes have now been delivered and work is in progress to dig the trench where the pipes will be laid. If work goes to plan the pipes will go into the ground on 23rd December. Now wouldn’t that be amazing!

Having piped water will transform the lives of everyone and the daily chores at Mayega will take a lot less time. Two hours per day is currently timetabled for collecting water from the lake.

Clean , safe , water!

On 25^th November Peter Hagenbuch undertook his latest 50 mile sponsored walk, for 15 charities including Busega Scotland (please see news item 22/11/17 – ‘Help Peter Reach His Destiny!). The route was from his home in Uphall to Scone in Perthshire. 50 miles provides plenty of thinking time and it is now Busega Scotland’s responsibility to use the £220 sponsorship most effectively.

It was always the intention to buy books for Mayega Children’s Centre and we sought advice from our colleague, Ernest Damiano, who is head teacher at Mayega Primary School. The books are now at the Centre, as we continue our efforts to boost attainment. This is helped by most of the children being of primary school age.

A perfect example of team work – Peter does the walk, sponsors support him, Ernest identifies the books, Rev Deuli finds and buys them and finally Seba, our Saturday teacher, will help the children make best use of them. Thanks to everyone for their part in this encouraging story.