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Nyumba moja September 2024 final

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the latest edition of Nyumba Moja – One House
This edition of our newsletter touches on some difficult subjects. Operationally, in Tanzania,
things are going very well. Jenny, Christine, and John visited this year and found the
children, staff, and projects in good heart. In the last Nyumba Moja Jenny wrote about
Mayega Children’s Centre, ‘it is always a joy to see the staff working well together, and to
see the children thriving’. Sentiments that Christine and John can now echo.
The appointment of Neema and Isaack at the Children’s Centre is having obvious benefits,
through their knowledge, experience, and commitment. Neema is our Officer in Charge, and
Isaack our Patron (male carer). For example, Christine inspected the Mayega record keeping
and was impressed with the improvements. The new staff appreciate the need for good
recording alongside the care that is provided.
The progress and impact that has been achieved in Tanzania, by everyone connected with
Busega Scotland since 2014, has been exceptional. By working together, we are truly
building ‘one house’. However, we must respond to circumstances. Our trustees have been
looking at the next few years and have developed a Future Shape plan. This is laid out in the
first article.
Busega Scotland is 10 years old next year and will begin to look different to what is it is now.
This will be positive but there are downsides. Change is never easy.

We are sorry to note that our Project Leader, Gadlord Deuli, lost his mum in August, after a
long illness. Our thoughts are with the Deuli family at this difficult time.
Future Shape programme
Working with Tanzanian colleagues, trustees and our many supporters, our founders,
Christine, and John, have been the driving force in making Busega Scotland what it is today.
They have been at the forefront of developments, have visited Tanzania regularly, and taken
a lead on fundraising. This is not boastful but provides the backdrop to Future Shape.
Trustees and supporters are ever willing, but everyone has their own personal time
constraints. Our founders are getting older and will inevitably have reducing capacity.
Through Future Shape, we have been considering how Busega Scotland can move forward
positively. We have agreed the priority services, being Mayega Children’s Centre and young
people moving on into further education and employment. Sadly, that impacts on our
staffing requirements and three posts will be lost in Tanzania. Proper arrangements are
being made for those redundancies.
By focusing on Mayega and the education of leavers, trustees believe the future can be
assured, and, in the fulness of time, we will seek a third-party organisation to take over
responsibility. But the next stage is to enhance decision making, increase accountability, and
promote greater self-reliance at the Children’s Centre.
It is essential we get this right and maintain the hopes of the children and young people we
care for.

Registration of Mayega Children’s Centre
The ownership and registration of the Centre has had a turbulent history. All children’s care
providers in Tanzania require to be registered with the Ministry of Health, Community
Development, Gender, Elderly and Children. Originally, the ownership and registration were
with a Tanzanian NGO (non-governmental organisation). Unfortunately, they did not fulfil
their responsibilities. Busega District Council took ownership of the Centre for a short
period, and it is now owned by Mayega village. This allowed a new registration to be applied
for and this was granted. It was a cause of some celebration as unregistered centres can be
closed summarily by the government.

 

The Centre now has triple security. The Centre’s ownership is sorted out, we are registered,
and Busega Scotland’s role is confirmed by a constitution submitted in the registration
application. We are thankful to Mr Kubagwa Madadila, the District Social Welfare Officer at
Busega District Council, for his work and support in achieving the transfer of ownership and
the registration.

Family Support Project
This may not be easily understood. Busega Scotland has facilitated twelve women’s groups
and our evaluations have shown their undoubted benefit. Nevertheless, and with great
reluctance, our trustees have decided to discontinue the project as part of the Future Shape
programme. Something has had to give. However, the situation is not without hope.
As of now, we are looking for a person or group of people who could take the project under
their wing. Could that be you? We know exactly how to run it and have an experienced
development worker in Tanzania keen to carry on beyond New Year. Your tasks would be to
supervise the project and fundraise for it. Not as daunting as it sounds, and the demands
can be tailored to meet your capacity.
If you would want to explore the possibility further, and without any obligation, please
email John at [email protected] . We would offer transitional guidance and the
new project can run under the auspices of Busega Scotland. It is an opportunity to make a
real difference with some of the poorest women and families imaginable. We know our
project works and would love it to continue. With your support that can happen.

Liz Voges Memorial Fund
A longstanding and very special friend of Christine and John died a year ago. Liz Voges was a
teacher from Northern Ireland but played a very important role in married life working
alongside her husband, Friedhelm, a German Lutheran pastor. The couple lived in Germany,
although kept strong links with Edinburgh (where Liz had taught) and throughout her adult
life Liz never lost a passion for education.
Friedhelm and the couple’s two sons, Richard, and Michael, have asked us to set up a
Liz Voges Memorial Fund in Busega Scotland. The focus will be the support Mayega young
people in tertiary education. Friedhelm has sent a cheque for £5,000 to start the fund. I am
sure you will agree how wonderful it is to have such commitment from the Voges family. Liz
was always keen to know about our work, and Friedhelm said that if it wasn’t for ill health
they would have travelled to Tanzania to visit Mayega and our other projects.

It is possible that the fund will come into
operation before too long as we have four
young people doing A level just now. If they
do well, university or similar courses will be
open to them. A pathway has been achieved
at Mayega whereby severely disadvantaged
children can go on and gain such
qualifications. Liz would have been delighted
about that.
Christine and John miss Liz so much but are
honoured that she will remain part of
Busega Scotland.
Have the wind always at our backs!
In the last edition of Nyumba Moja Cenzo and John announced the start of the Great Trek
(Kutembea Kubwa) that they will complete next year to celebrate 10 years of Busega
Scotland. The total distance is 1350 miles or a half marathon a week for both. The lads (if we
can call still them that) have been going strong, walking in three different countries. In
Scotland, Cenzo in Turkey, while on holiday, and John during his trip to Tanzania. To date,
the total mileage is an impressive 288 miles but there is still a bit to go.

This will be helped by a walk at the end of September following the Four Abbeys Way. The
Scottish Borders are famed for their magnificent, ruined abbeys at Melrose, Dryburgh,
Jedburgh, and Kelso. The Way links all four abbeys in a circular route of 69 miles. There are
lengthy stretches along the River Tweed and the River Teviot. Our team is made up of
Cenzo, John, Margaret Dickson and Jenny Wallen tackling the whole route, and up to other
eight walkers joining us for parts of the journey. If you would like to support our efforts it is
possible to make donations through the Busega Scotland funding page, using the link below.
All the money raised will help provide care at Mayega Children’s Centre.

Busega Scotland
Four Abbeys Way
Long distance walking has become a mainstay of Busega Scotland’s annual fundraising.
Previously, we have tackled the Speyside Way, Moray Coastal Path, Dava Way, Great Glen
Way, John Muir Way and the Cateran Trail. A long haul of over 400 miles (and not to
mention the training)!
Website
We are getting the website up and running again so please visit it at https://busegascotland.co.uk/