Christine and John have had the pleasure of meeting Shida for the first time over the last month. What a wonderful, spirited and happy young girl she is. She has grown so such since her arrival, despite a completely new environment and the onerous journeys for her eye operations. The children have made her feel so much at home and Shida has a special bond with matron, who has been with her on each of the hospital trips (five in total and a distance of over 5,000 miles).
Shida has formed a special relationship with a little girl called Edina. One of the photos shows Edina helping Shida with her drawing and writing. While some sight has been restored in the right eye, the left one seems beyond repair. Nevertheless, Shida gets around unaided and while unable to join in volleyball she happily acts as ball girl.

We have yet to show her the video clip from the Shindig for Shida (we don’t want to overwhelm her) and she faces another follow-up at the Kilimanjaro Medical Centre in April. School is not yet a possibility, while her eye recovers, and where she will receive an appropriate education remains an open question. She has had no schooling at all up until now.

Many thanks to all who have contributed to the ‘Shida Fund’. We are heartened by how well she has settled at Mayega and what a special child she is.

We are delighted to say that the construction of the kitchen at Mayega Children’s Centre has been completed, with tap and sink and wood burning stove. This is not only a significant step forward for the Centre but it shows perfectly how contributions from different sources can make a real difference.The contributors to the kitchen project have included:
Elgin Rotary and Rotary District 1010
Forres Rotary Club
Strathbrock Parish Church      
Stowmarket Salvation Army
Busega District Council
The role of the council, and its engineers, has been significantly important. They have embraced the project alongside their normal duties, providing expertise in design, build and project management. Hats off to District Water Engineer Mohamed Yamlinga and his team. The facilities will be completed by the construction of an external ‘washing table’, for food preparation and pot washing. All waste water is piped to a soak pit for safe disposal.
The kitchen will act as a focal point to develop diet, sanitation and hygiene standards at the Centre. Christine is taking forward these priorities, with council colleagues and our Mayega staff.

The Right Honourable Tano Mwera, is the representative of the President of the United Republic of Tanzania in Busega District, holding the post of District Commissioner. The Mayega Water Group had the honour of Mrs Mwera chairing its latest meeting. The guest list included representatives from Busega Scotland, Busega District Council and Mayega village. The Mayega village chairman and district councillor both attended.
The meeting reviewed the successful completion of Phase 2 of the Mayega Water Project – bringing five new standpipes to the village and the construction of a kitchen at the Children’s Centre. Attention then turned to planning Phase 3, and finalising a consultation carried out by colleagues Paul Mashimba and Julieth Godwin.
All being well, the Rotary Clubs of Elgin and Igoma (a town on the outskirts of Mwanza) will take forward an application for a Rotary Global Grant, to construct toilets at Mayega Primary School and toilets in Mayega village. Deciding on a design suitable toilet for use in the village has taken much time and discussion. The District Council will now build a prototype to test out its suitability.
Many thanks to the DC for successfully chairing the meeting and bringing forth some important decisions.

Phase 2 of the Mayega Water Project has increased the number of water distribution points (DP’s) in Mayega village from one to six, with the seventh due on stream shortly. This covers all the sub-villages, with 535 households in total. There are also standpipes in the school and dispensary.

The dispensary previously relied on rain water harvesting – directing rain water off the roof into a tank.

Engineers from Busega District Council toured the DP’s and spoke to the ‘tap keepers’ to check all the points are working well. No significant problems were reported. The water is available in the morning from 7am to 12 midday and from 4 to 7pm. Household usage is recorded by the tap keeper. The cost is 50 shillings (1.5p) per large bucket.

One keeper was asked what difference the DP had made to her life. She said that it avoided an hour long trip to the Lake Victoria and back, to collect water. There have been two fatalities in the Mayega area in the last two years, and one other attack, from crocodiles.
The partnership between the village, the District Council, the Rotary Club of Elgin and Busega Scotland has been particularly encouraging, to deliver the Phase 2 on time and under budget. But most importantly, it is making such a difference to lives of the villagers.

Come on the Maroons………
Not a phrase you readily associate with the Carney family. Come on the Reds, is much more acceptable. However, John and Christine were delighted to hand over a full maroon and blue football strip to Ernest Damiano, Headteacher of Mayega Primary School. The previous week there had been a village meeting to discuss how the school could get hold of strips for the ward championships! Problem solved!
The timely gift came from Portessie Methodist Church in Buckie. Christine and John had given a talk to their Women’s Guild and were asked if they could make use of the kit. ‘Of course we can!’, was the immediate reply, and so the mainly brand new strips formed part of 92 kg hold baggage on the Carneys recent journey to Tanzania.

Returning vaguely to colour of the strip. Liverpool’s first great manager, Bill Shankly, said that his job was to ‘make the people happy’. The good folk from the Moray church have certainly made the young footballers of Mayega very happy. Let’s hope they do well in the tournament but any in case, as Ernest said, they will look the smartest!

Ernest Damiano is both Head Teacher of Mayega Primary School and the voluntary Co-ordinator of the Mayega Water Project. His commitment to the Mayega community is immense. He recently travelled, on a Saturday, over 70 miles by bus from his home in Nyashimo to Mwanza, to talk about the Water Project and the support his school gets through Busega Scotland (and Lhanbryde Primary School in Moray).
More about the School Support Project over the next few weeks, as some very exciting initiatives unfold. These are being driven by Ernest and Busega Scotland trustee and educationalist, Jenny Wallen. The Water Project is moving into its third phase and, funding permitting, will include toilets for the Mayega school and improved sanitary facilities in the village.
It is always a pleasure to see Ernest, with his infectious enthusiasm and positivity. He received a gift of a Mosstowie Primary School scarf from his fellow Head Teacher, Gary Forgie, as a gesture of friendship between the Moray and Mayega schools. Busega Scotland prides itself on growing such links as an important aspect of its work.

Two days before John and Christine left for Tanzania, the Rotary Club of Elgin held a Gin and Prosecco Valentine’s Night at Johnstons Woollen Mill Visitor Centre. This was a fundraiser for the Mayega Water Project, in which Elgin Rotary are partners.
The evening had a number of highlights – Callum and Angus (from Rotaract) providing superb musical entertainment and the auction, including a cashmere rug donated by Johnstons, a bottle of the Lord Lieutenant of Moray’s cask strength whisky and a Mayega Shuka. However, ‘the highlight’ was a ‘conga’ around the visitor centre, to the rousing tune of ‘500 miles’. Unforgettable.

Busega Scotland and the Mayega Water Group in Tanzania, thank Elgin Rotary and the Mill for hosting the event, and the many Moray folk who supported the fundraising most generously.
The Chair of Elgin Rotary’s International Committee, Ash Major, said ‘it was by any measure a great evening, as evidenced by the reactions as people left, and on Facebook next morning. We don’t yet know the final figures, but the Raffle and Auction raised over £1100, so we have already met our target.’
How good is that.
Footnotes
The Mill established in 1797 is the same mill which produces cashmere garments today.
A Mayega Shuka is an African blanket sold on behalf of Mayega Children’s Centre.

Arnold and Valerie Barrow have left Tanzania after a very successful trip. Their efforts in Mayega have seen a kitchen constructed at the Children’s Centre and five new distribution points (DP’s or standpipes) positioned across the village, bringing piped water to the sub villages and dispensary. The work, as part of the Mayega Water Project, is in collaboration with Busega District Council and Rotary District 1010, back in Scotland.

Arnold and Valerie used the generous donations from their own supporters to undertake important maintenance tasks at the Centre. This included repair and realignment of guttering, floor repairs in the girls’ dormitory and refurbishment of the outside toilet and shower block. The Barrows may be too modest to say it themselves but this must have been the most beneficial trip of the five they have undertaken. Massive thanks for all they have achieved.
Soon after Arnold and Valerie left Mwanza, John and Christine arrived with their own extensive itinerary. Having said all that, we should never forget the week in, week out contributions of our ten local colleagues, who keep the projects going most magnificently. This model, of combining the knowledge, skills and experience from two very different continents and cultures, is serving Busega Scotland well. All together – staff, supporters and volunteers – we are making a difference.

Our six mechanics graduates, in the Moving-on Project, are entering their last period of support from Busega Scotland. Our aim is to promote independence and in a way that maximises the chances of a successful future. It is self-evident, mechanics with driving licences are eminently more employable.
Last month the lads began a residential driving course at Nyakato College. As in Scotland, the instruction mixes theory and practice but the final examination is conducted by the police. The video shows that good progress is being made, as Mazebuka makes a very smooth start. Let’s hope they all pass their tests.

Busega Scotland’s links with schools in Moray are going from strength to strength.
The connection between Lhanbryde Primary School and Mayega Primary School is well established. Fundraising at Lhanbryde has purchased sports equipment for Mayega and the children have exchanged drawings to build friendships. The Moray school has an enthusiastic Tanzania Committee and a recent bake sale raised £53. Mayega Primary School expressed its appreciation for the support it has received by sending Gillian Ross, Lhanbryde’s head teacher, a certificate of appreciation and length of African cloth. A great show of kindness.
John was invited to give a talk on the work of Busega Scotland to P5 to P7 pupils at Mosstowie Primary School.

The children were so engaged and asked many questions. Their knowledge was impressive. Incredibly, one girl was able to identify the tree in the photograph of Mayega’s head teacher, Ernest Damiano! Can you?

The highlight was Gary Forgie, Mosstowie’s head teacher, dressing up in a Mayega shuka. It is likely that Mosstowie children will adopt Busega Scotland as their overseas project to support. We would be delighted if that were to happen.

It is important to Busega Scotland that we share our knowledge and experiences of Tanzania. This is part of our commitment to give back to the community of Moray.