In an article on 21 December we announced that the Mayega Water Project had been awarded a grant of over five thousand pounds from the Rotary Club of Elgin and Rotary District 1010. This is to allow construction of a kitchen at the Children’s Centre and increase the number of standpipes in the village. The water group members have been hard at it buying materials for construction to start. There must be a ‘shout out’ to group co-ordinator Ernesto Damiano (also Headteacher of Mayega Primary School), District Water Engineer Yamlinga Mohamed and Engineers Tumbo, Senzota and Gagala for their outstanding commitment to the project and to the community. The bricks for the kitchen are being made at the Centre and construction is due to start in about one week’s time. Arnold Barrow will act as the on site ‘client representative’ for Rotary and Busega Scotland. He will provide progress reports on the kitchen and installation of the standpipes. This bit needs to be progressed quickly, as digging trenches (by hand) for the water pipes will get progressively more difficult during the dry season.                                                                                                                                                                                                      

It’s back to school time in Mayega with the new school year starting off in January. Like everywhere else, it is important to look your best when you meet your school chums again. The pupils from the Children’s Centre have been to the local town of Lamadi to buy their shoes and uniforms. The boys and girls enjoy the change of scenery and bus ride to and from.
Saturday teaching has re-started with Seba going weekly and Julieth twice a month. Seba concentrates on the older pupils and Julieth the younger ones. The main purposes are to improve English language skills and promote a learning culture. Volunteers Arnold and Valerie Barrow will be in Mayega later this month and they are very committed improving the educational and social life of the Centre. This will be their 5th visit as Busega Scotland volunteers.

Busega Scotland is once again thanking St James’s Place Foundation for a very generous grant, that will support young people in the Moving-on Project. The Foundation had previously supported Moving-on and a further, very welcome £1000 has just been received. John was happy to accept a cheque from Andy Lees, who has a Partner Practice with St James’s Place Wealth Management and is also a Busega Scotland trustee.
In Mwanza, we have six motor mechanics students about to graduate with national vocational qualifications. It is clearly helpful if mechanics have driving licences, so our trustees agreed to use the St James’s Place grant to fund residential driving courses. This will maximise job prospects, and allow a quicker transition of our young people to independence. In order to recognise this ‘crossroads’ in their lives, the mechanics were asked, and have agreed, to pay back modest sums to Busega Scotland and so cover part of their driver training costs. Welcome to the adult world!
The mention of driving brings to mind further excellent news. Earlier in the year, our Family Support Project supervisor, Mr Alphonce Kagezi had a motor cycle accident and sustained a broken leg. We were delighted to receive a photograph of the now recovered ‘King of Igombe’ – a lovely early Christmas present. Busega Scotland has supported Mr Kagezi throughout his recovery.

The work of Busega Scotland relies on the hard work and generosity of many people and organisations. Some money is raised to be used in very specific ways.
In Mayega, the two thousand villagers were without piped water until early 2019, when the Mayega Water Project connected up the mains supply. The water project is a collaboration between the village, Busega Scotland, Busega District Council and the Rotary Club of Elgin.
We are delighted to announce, that the project has been awarded a grant of £5688 from the Rotary Club of Elgin and Rotary District 1010, to construct a kitchen at Mayega Children’s Centre and complete the installation of standpipes across Mayega village.
The provision of these simple services is having a transforming effect on the lives of youngsters at the children’s centre, the primary school and local families. As well as being time consuming, there are risks in collecting water from Lake Victoria; the disease bilharzia is endemic, and attacks from hippos and crocodiles are possible. The water at the lakeside is also dirty.
To raise money for the project, a Valentine Gin and Prosecco Night will be held at Johnstons Woollen Mill in Elgin on Friday 15th February. Hosted by Elgin Rotary Club and Busega Scotland, there will be drinks, a buffet, auction, raffle and musical entertainment.
It is the generosity of Elgin Rotarians and Johnstons, in making their venue available, that supports colleagues many thousands of miles away in Tanzania, who are themselves dedicated to improving the lives of villagers in Mayega.

On 23rd November, Busega Scotland trustees hosted one of their flagship Quiz Nights at the Drouthy Cobbler in Elgin.
Fourteen teams took part, and in addition to the regular quiz there was a Heads and Tails, a Hairy Bottle and Raffle to entertain the crowd. Andy Lees and Mike McClafferty fronted the event, and most teams were relieved to avoid the booby prize for last place – tubes of Smarties (such delicious irony!). The smiling picture shows the team from Alba Place, who said they had a great night and were delighted not to finish bottom! The winners were the ‘Only here for the Beer’, who, unbelievably, had only a team of three against other tables of four.
The Quiz Night raised funds for Shida, the nine year old girl at Mayega Children’s Centre with severe sight problems. The £718 will pay for further treatment, and give a very brave little girl a chance of a bright future.
Busega Scotland has hosted many previous Moray  Quiz Nights but the total raised this time is the highest ever. Many thanks to all who made the event possible, and took part.

Arnold and Valerie Barrow leave in January for their fifth volunteering trip with Busega Scotland. As ever, their time in the period leading up to Christmas is taken up with fundraising.
A special coffee morning was held at the Stowmarket Salvation Army Corps on Saturday 24 November 2018. A delicious supply of produce was on offer, all freshly cooked so that individual items could be frozen for use at Christmas. Items for sale included cheese scones, flapjacks, mince pies, fruit tarts for the family, fruit and sponge cakes, chocolate slices, scotch eggs and a beautifully decorated Christmas Cake. Additionally, an artistic friend had created small, beautifully decorated snowmen and Father Christmases out of walnut whirls.

By 11am all the produce was sold! Tea, coffee, bacon rolls and toasted teacakes were also on offer. Valerie and Arnold are much indebted to family members, Paul and Pauline Ling, without whose magnificent efforts the event could not have taken place. Over 100 people attended and an amazing sum of £500 was raised, all of which will be used to support the children at the Mayega Children’s Centre and the centre graduates now undertaking further education in Mwanza. Many thanks to the good people of Stowmarket for supporting the work of Busega Scotland.

It was a big change and challenge when Monica and Masabuka left Mayega two years ago to start their courses at Nyakato College in Mwanza. Swopping rural life for college in the city would be a challenge for anyone, and early on in her studies Monica captured the situation beautifully:
‘I have been at college since January. I am progressing well but I feel like a stranger because everything is new in my eyes. I had never been to a city before and Mwanza is very different from the village.’

Our two young people adapted so well that the college principal has said many times what wonderful ambassadors Monica and Masebuka are for Mayega, and how he would welcome other students from the Children’s Centre.
Their success is also a testimony to the Busega Scotland Moving-on Project, and the practical, social and emotional support it provides. Pastor Deuli, his wife, Jane, Julieth and Kabula are always on hand, along with college staff, to help with any difficulties that arise.
Two years down the line, Nyakato students celebrated the end of their studies in a very joyful, musical and colourful occasion. Our other Moving-on students, and project staff, attended the event to congratulate Monica and Masebuka on completing their National Certificate courses. They have their final exams to look forward to and then will be qualified, respectively, as an electrician and motor mechanic.