Shida has been seen by the doctors at the KCMC Hospital, in KIlimanjaro and they have confirmed she needs surgery on both eyes followed by further surgery in a few weeks time. She has been admitted to the hospital and it is hoped the surgery will take place on Wednesday 30th May. Shida is in good spirits and seems to be enjoying all the attention she is receiving.

Unfortunately the government sponsored programme to provide free surgery for children like Shida has now closed and I received an urgent call from Rev Deuli requesting funds to pay the hospital. Matron has negotiated a reduced rate due the circumstances and the money from Busega Scotland has been sent by Mpesa. This is a system where money is sent by mobile phone credit and the recipient cashes it out at one of the many mobile phone outlets. This system of money transfer works well where few people have access to bank accounts.

The Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre , founded just after Tanganyika independence from British rule is one of the four Zonal Referral Hospitals in Tanzania. The Ophthalmology Department consists of three units, namely the Eye Clinic, Eye Ward and Eye Operating Theatre. It is staffed by six ophthalmologists, 12 ophthalmology residents, two assistant medical officers ophthalmology, 15 AMOO trainees, 25 nurses, five optometrists and 15 medical attendants.

“The paediatric ophthalmology service is one of three in the country, the other two being in the capital city of Dar es Salaam. Most of the blinding childhood eye diseases in the northern part of Tanzania are treated at the department or not treated at all. In 2012, some 4642 children received eye health care at KCMC, forming 19% of the patient body. Because of the imperative nature of early intervention in childhood blinding diseases, the KCMC paediatric ophthalmology team also provides these essential services to Mwanza Region and its surrounding areas, which lacks these services altogether”. (Tanzania Eye Health Care Forum)

Shida is 9 years old and is the latest child to move to the Mayega Children’s Centre. All children joining the centre are seen by the government medical officer immediately prior to admission as per Tanzanian child care regulations. The M.O. quickly diagnosed childhood cataracts as the reason for her blindness in one eye and impaired vision in the other.

A quick referral to KCMC hospital by the doctor means that today Shida is travelling with Matron to Moshi where it is hoped she will have cataract surgery in the next few days. The surgery will be carried out free of charge as part of a government sponsored programme. We hope this  journey will stabilise her sight and bring some improvements.

Shida seems to be coping well with the sudden changes in her life. She was placed at Mayega Children’s Centre by the Busega Social Welfare Department last Thursday, as she was in need of a place of safety. Local villagers raised concerns about her condition and district officials moved quickly to help her.

The other children have already accepted her and include her in everything

Shida’s journey from Mayega began yesterday travelling to Mwanza for an overnight stay in order to catch a long distance bus this morning to Moshi. This is a 14 hour bus journey across the Serengeti. We hope all goes well for her.

Busega Scotland funded the first year of the Chole health insurance scheme, in partnership with Bukumbi Hospital. The premiums were up for renewal in May and the women of Chole Group 1 had to decide whether to continue the scheme or not. The plan was for the women to pay 50% and our partner NGO, CODEHDAF, the other 50% and the group had been saving to meet the cost through its vicoba (credit union or informal bank). But still, a decision had to be made – was the health insurance value for money? The answer – a resounding yes, as all 28 families opted to continue.

The insurance scheme was linked to health education and screening for common infectious diseases. This work has now been completed and the testing has shown the most prevalent diseases to be schistosomiasis and hookworm. The link to the health insurance was most helpful, as all infected people received free treatment at Bukumbi. One aim of the Chole programme is to improve the health status of the families, with the consequent benefit to their prosperity. In Africa, sub-clinical infections are debilitating to communities, who tend not to seek treatment early due to costs – that then becomes a vicious circle, that we are trying to break.

Another aspect of the Chole project has not found favour with the women. A bio-sand water filter was installed on a trial basis but the taste of the water was a problem and the slow flow rate. An offer to part fund the installation of filters in all of the projects 63 families was rejected and will not go ahead. This is always a risk in community work, when the real power and decision making rests with the people. Africa is littered with expensive, failed projects imposed from outside without proper consultation, testing and local acceptance. We haven’t made that mistake in Chole.

Christina

Whether you are the youngest entrant to our Moving-on Project or left Mayega Children’s Centre many years ago, the challenges facing our young people in the city are considerable. Mayega is the most calm and rural of settings and Mwanza is a fast growing and vibrant place. Making the transition and a life for yourself there is tough.

Christina was unable to progress to secondary education at the end of last year and unexpectedly joined the Moving-on Project. We have a particular responsibility given her young age. She was enrolled part-time at Nyakato College in a tailoring course, and lives with our older girls Kabula, Ester and Monica. All was looking good but Christina has found having time on her hands a bit difficult. Not unusual for a teenager but a productive outlet in her free time had to be found. A quick negotiation with a tailoring shop opposite Busega Scotland’s office has led to a work experience placement. Christina is now a very busy young person – work in the morning and college in the afternoon. Challenging.

Zabron and Christine

John and Christine first met Zabron in 2014, when he had already left the Children’s Centre. He was training for work in Mwanza’a hotel trade and after a couple of false starts has settled into a job as a chef in a hotel near the Nyegezi bus stand. It is a busy establishment, catering for passengers catching long distance coaches to Dar es Salaam and Dodoma. The hours are long and the pay less than it should be. To Zabron’s great credit he has stuck at it and it is a highlight of any trip to meet up for a ‘news’. He has a real interest in his ‘family’ back at Mayega. We heard that another of Mayega’s older graduates, Zawadi, who is married and lives in Busega, has just had her second child. Good luck to Zabron and Zawadi, as they go forward and make lives for themselves.

The work of Busega Scotland has been officially recognised by local and central government in Tanzania. In the evening before leaving Mwanza, John and Christine were presented with a framed Appreciation Note signed by Anderson N. Kabuko, the Executive Director of Busega District Council, and the Hon. Tano S. Mwela, District Commissioner for Busega, who is the President’s local representative.

The certificate was presented by Ernesto Damiano, the Headteacher of Mayega Primary School and a very prominent supporter and  partner of Busega Scotland. So determined was Ernesto to make the presentation he arrived in Mwanza at 9.15pm, on public transport from Busega District Council Headquarters in Nyashimo, a distance of about 70 miles! The certificate says:

‘We appreciate the help of Busega Scotland in improving Social Services at Mayega Village in the Busega District Council Area’.

John and Christine are keen to point out that the improvements are a result of teamwork between the charity and our many Tanzanian colleagues. However, the certificate does represent the close links and excellent working relationships that have been established, just as it should be.

Ernesto also had a gift for Christine and John from Mayega Primary School; a piece of colourful African cloth that can be made into a matching blouse and shirt on the Carneys next visit to Tanzania. Busega Scotland has been facilitating links between the Mayega school and Lhanbryde Primary School in Moray.

John and Christine left for home feeling very happy indeed!

Members of the Rotary Club of Mwanza made a visit to Mayega Children’s Centre on 20^th May, to see for themselves what the Centre offers the children. John, Christine and Arnold Barrow have attended a number of the Club’s meetings over the last year or so, at the New Mwanza Hotel on Tuesday evenings. These visits have built up relationships, and developed the understanding of what Busega Scotland is and what the Mayega does.

Rotary then floated the idea of the visit, to hopefully inspire the Club to become committed to supporting the Centre. The four travelling members received a very warm welcome from children and staff and a guided tour from Christine. The impact? The Rotarians were impressed by the caring environment and the vitality of the children, but realised much still needs to be done to further improve Mayega’s facilities.

We are delighted to say that at a follow-up meeting on 22^nd May, Mwanza Rotary Club committed to helping the Centre for the foreseeable future. They are interested in our plans to improve sanitation and have already sounded out contacts to donate materials. Getting things in place will take a little time, but we thank our new colleagues most sincerely and it is so heartening to be getting even more support from the Tanzanian community.

John and Christine have made new friends at the Rotary Club of Igoma, on the outskirts of Mwanza. We have visited twice and been made very welcome indeed. Igoma are a relatively young club, formed in 2015, being all Tanzanian members – 10 women and 5 men. They have worked with an American and a Canadian Rotary Club, and have managed an international Rotary Global Grant.

Igoma have undertaken water and education projects. Most of the members are teachers but have at least one engineer, medical and business persons. Their major project at the moment is to provide shaded seating around a shipping container of books from Canada, that forms a local library.

John and Christine joined the Club for a tree planting at Shamaliwa Primary School. The original school had 3,000 pupils so has been split in half and the new site has little shade. Rotarians and pupils planted the trees, provided by a Tanzanian charity.

Elgin Rotary/Busega Scotland may need a Global Grant partner for the next stage of the Mayega Water Project (toilets at Mayega Primary School and sanitation facilities in the village). Igoma Rotary have offered themselves as local partners and John will discuss the offer with the Rotary Club of Elgin in the coming weeks. It is great to have the support of an enthusiastic group of Tanzanian people.

Finding Jiko,

This is not the latest Hollywood blockbuster but a very inclusive process in trying to select a stove for Mayega Children’s Centre!

Busega Scotland is working with Busega District Council and the Rotary Club of Elgin, Scotland to prepare a funding application for a kitchen to be constructed at the Centre. In addition, the funds requested will allow 5 new standpipes to be installed at Mayega village. All seven sub-villages would then be served with piped water, as well as the village’s dispensary.

Busega Scotland wishes to express its thanks to colleagues at Busega District Council and Elgin Rotary Club. The Council has laid the pipes, bringing the mains supply to Mayega and has led in the design and costing of the new work. Elgin Rotary is submitting the grant application. The Mayega Water Project is a great example of effective collaboration and cooperation.

But back to the kijiko. The design is a fuel efficient stove, lined with firebricks and fitted with a chimney to take the wood smoke out of the kitchen. There are a couple of designs. Leya (Matron) and Victoria (Cook) visited Mwanza to see a stove in action, hear about its ease of use and help us decide together if it is right for Mayega Children’s Centre.

The outcome was positive and Victoria took back a small mboga (vegetable) stove to try out. The main stove will have two made to measure pots will that sit inside the stove, which adds to the fuel efficiency. One will be for wari (rice) or ugari (maize porridge) and the other for maharagi (beans).

The stove will be manufactured by a small business based at a SIDO workshop on the outskirts of Mwanza. Its a bit like a small industrial estate.

SIDO stands for Small Industries Development Organisation .

A special mention to the Rotary Club of Forres, near to John and Christine’s home village, who have donated £300 towards the cost of the stove. Many thanks for this very kind and helpful contribution.

John and Christine heard on Saturday morning that Busega Scotland’s Family Support supervisor in Igombe had been involved in an accident on his motorbike. Mr Kagezi was admitted to the main Bugando Hospital in Mwanza, where it was discovered that he had broken both the tibia and fibula in his right leg. He was then transferred home and John has been to see him. As well as the broken bones, there is a wound in his right shin and he is getting daily visits from his local Igombe hospital. We wish Mr Kagezi well as he starts his sick leave and hope for a speedy recovery.

John also met members of Igombe’s second Busega Scotland women’s group, called Tusaidiane (in English ‘ to help each other’). The group currently has 11 members and 7 were present, with the absentees at a funeral. The group has so far received £95 capital into their vicoba (credit union or informal bank)  from Busega Scotland and the women have been taking loans to grow their businesses and for family expenditure. The loans have varied from £2 to £14, with an average of about £8. In addition, the women contribute small amounts to the vicoba every week and have so far saved £80 between them. When this is added to the capital and loan interest their savings are growing well.

6 more women will join the group in June and as well as receiving the normal grant of £45 each, a total of £50 will be added on their behalf to the vicoba capital. This model allows women to establish their businesses initially, and then take loans to grow them further. The current Tusaidiane members sell fish, fruit, firewood, gravel and charcoal.

Julieth Godwin, Busega Scotland’s Assistant Project Leader, supports the group with training, which has so far concentrated on health issues – malaria, cholera, HIV, clean water and basic hygiene. The women are keen to learn and to develop their curriculum further.