Two weeks hard work at the Busega Scotland charity shop is over. Shop organiser, Christine Petrie, and her assistants should be very happy with their work. Not only have they made recycled many items for the benefit of the community of Lossiemouth, they have also raised £1060 for Busega Scotland. Many thanks and congratulations to the team.
The pop-up shop is used by many different organisations throughout the year. Cleaning and clearing up for the next occupants, is the last but important task. This year Busega Scotland trustees Cenzo Main, Margaret Forrest and Christine Petrie did the needful.
The rent for the shop is sponsored and all the workers are volunteers, so all takings go to our charity. Also, local people are incredibly generous in their stock donations. Another great Busega Scotland example of what benefits can be achieved when folk come together positively.
4.10.19 Connecting Lakes
Perhaps they don’t have that much in common? Mayega, a rural village in Tanzania and Toronto, the largest city in Canada. Maybe so, but we can think of two things.
Toronto is on the shore of the Great Lakes and Mayega is on Lake Victoria. They are the two largest expanses of fresh water in the world.
They are also connected by the Big Busega Parties project. There will be a party at Mayega Children’s Centre in November but the De Palma and Fairman families have already had their Canadian celebration (of 5 years of Busega Scotland).
Many thanks to them for joining in our unique project, that has had coverage in Moray’s local paper, the Northern Scot. https://www.northern-scot.co.uk/news/lets-p-p-p-party-183905/
29.9.19 Water works
The lead engineer in the Mayega Water Project, Daniel Gagala, has been out and about in Busega, making preparation for a Global Grant application to Rotary International. If successful, funds will bring toilets to Mayega Primary School, more water distribution points in the village and a pilot programme to introduce family toilets.
The application for global funds is onerous and we are indebted to our colleagues in Busega District Council, the national water authority (RUWASA) and the Rotary clubs of Igoma (Tanzania) and Elgin (Scotland). Partnership is at the core of the water project.
Eng Gagala moved on to Mayega Children’s Centre to inspect the walls being constructed to support the riser tank. This stores water and provides pressure to service the showers and toilets in the dormitory building. Initially, water is pumped from Lake Victoria to a holding tank in the hills and then travels down to the village. We believe that the holding tank is about 50 years old!
29.9.19 First overseas party
The gold medal goes to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
John met Stephen Ambu at university in 1974 and they have remained firm friends ever since. Stephen is retired parasitologist and a great supporter of Busega Scotland. He and wife Diana invited family and friends to their Big Busega Party. After a BBQ, Stephen spent time showing his twenty guests the parties slideshow, generating much interest in our work in Tanzania. John was slightly perturbed to see an Arsenal football shirt in KL but has stopped short of mandating Liverpool shirts at all other parties!
Keep watching the website for further news. The Moray curry party is near to selling out, with close to seventy tickets having been sold. How fantastic is that!
18.9.19 Big Moray Party
There will be an opportunity for supporters of Busega Scotland to gather together in Elgin on 8th October to celebrate 5 years of our work in Tanzania.
Mr Atif Ali of the Qismat Tandoori has made the restaurant available to us and will serve a three course curry buffet. This will be Moray’s opportunity to join in the ‘worldwide parties’ project, featured on this website. Many thanks to Atif and his staff for their kind help and support.
Full details of the event are in the poster below.
15.9.19 Unstinting generosity
People can be generous in many ways – with time, expertise and money, to name but a few. Busega Scotland receives all forms of help in bucket loads and we are forever grateful.
Eleven intrepid walkers took on the challenge of the Edinburgh Kiltwalk on 15th September, tackling either 25 or 15 miles to raise money for us. The Roll of Honour is Andy, Andy, Anne, Cenzo, Ellen, Hannah, John, Maura, Niamh, Sheena and Stuart. All the walkers completed the course to collect their medals, along with the usual aches and pains. Well done to everyone and ‘asante sana’ to all our sponsors – it looks like the amount raised with exceed £7000. How incredible is that? Our biggest ever single fundraiser.
Online sponsorship is still open for this event! https://edinburghkiltwalk2019.everydayhero.com/uk/walking-for-busega-scotland
Walk for Busega Scotland in 2020. Registration is now open: Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh. https://www.thekiltwalk.co.uk/events/
15.9.19 Youth pointing the way.
The first Busega supporters party has taken place has taken place in Moray, Scotland. Busega Scotland trustee, Anne Grant, and her colleagues at Moray Youthpoint, a youth project in Elgin, celebrated with the young people. In order to give a flavour of Moray, the youngsters went out and about to capture local sights. Their peers at Mayega will enjoy the photos and will be sure to send some in return from their own party.
12.9.19 The parties have started!
Busega Scotland is celebrating 5 years of working in Tanzania, with parties all over the world; on each continent, culminating in the ‘Big Mayega Party’ at the Children’s Centre in November!
The aims of the project are supportive and educational:
• To show the children at Mayega that there are people worldwide who are interested in them and want to join in their celebration.
• For the children to learn about places completely outside their experience, and to let people across the world know about them.
The Mayega party will include a large wall map, so the children can see where other parties have taken place along with photographs and information.
We believe this project to be unique, and so far we expecting parties in:
Europe – Scotland, England, Germany, Spain and Switzerland
Africa – Senegal and Tanzania
North America – Canada and the USA
South America – Brazil
Asia – China and Malaysia
Australasia – Australia and New Zealand
Antarctica – we are working on this!
The first party involved the trustees of Busega Scotland at the end of their recent meeting. The centrepiece was a cake with five candles!
The celebrations have begun in Moray and will end in Mayega via every continent on earth – how good is that!
12.9.19 ‘Seagull Seafoods’
John had an unexpected surprise at a meeting of Elgin Rotary Club, when Rotarian John Campbell presented Busega Scotland with a cheque for £50. Mr Campbell is the author of ‘Seagull Seafoods – the On-shore Fishing Industry in Lossiemouth 1950 to 1990 – Characters to Remember’. The author’s family has long history in fishing and the book contains stories and photographs of a bygone era. Many thanks go to John for his kind donation, that came from sales of his book.
29.8.19 Risky Kiltwalk
Team captain Sheena Main may survive the attentions of the King of the Jungle to take part in the Kiltwalk in Edinburgh on 15th September. Brave Sheena is modelling the Busega Scotland uniform and we are bound to be the smartest team there!
Kiltwalk enables walkers to raise money for any Scottish charity. It is a walking event with three distances to choose from, suitable for walkers of all ages and experiences. The Kiltwalk is also a powerful fundraising model, developed and under-written by Sir Tom Hunter and The Hunter Foundation. Their support will enable 140% of the sponsorship money raised by our Kiltwalkers to go directly to Busega Scotland.
To make a donation please click on one of the following links
https://edinburghkiltwalk2019.everydayhero.com/uk/john-14
https://edinburghkiltwalk2019.everydayhero.com/uk/walking-for-busega-scotland