Africa can seem exotic and exciting but life there can be like anywhere else! ‘There’ in this respect is Mayega Children’s Centre.The toilet in the girl’s dormitory got broken and it had to be fixed.
Confidential files need to be stored and a cupboard was made.
When the rains come, the garden gets going.We are very fortunate to have Mr Deus Mtoba who helps us, when needed, to do repairs and odd jobs. He is very skilled and we have known him for a long time.
The garden is DIY, with staff and children joining in. Aubergines and spinach are going well at the moment.
Two young people who left Mayega Children’s Centre two years ago have completed national certificate courses at Nyakato Vocational Training Centre in Mwanza . Malesa, seen in the photograph receiving his leaving certificate, is a welder and Jeremiah is an electrician. The certificates were presented by a representative of a Finnish pentecostal church who support the college. The boys will receive six months of accommodation, practical and financial support from Busega Scotland while they look for jobs. This is no easy task given the rate of youth unemployment but they have marketable skills. We wish them well and will help as much as we can in the transition to work and independence.
Malesa and Jeremiah left Mayega Children’s Centre a year and a half ago to begin national certificate courses at Nyakato College in Mwanza. Quite a challenge for two young men who had just completed school and moved from a small rural village to the big city. They have done well in their studies; Malesa in welding and Jeremiah in electrical installation. They are now in their second year and have just completed field placements.
25th April was a beautiful spring day when Cenzo Main, Pete Anderson, Dave Cameron and John Carney completed 13.7 miles for their half marathon Kiltwalk. The route was close to the lower reaches of the River Spey, near to the Carneys home village of Garmouth. A truly beautiful part of the world and a great day was had by all.
The northern part of Tanzania is a place of contrasts when it comes rain. For large parts of the year there is little or none and in the rainy seasons there can be too much – mvua nyingi. This has had two recent consequences for Busega Scotland.
clear the blocked drains and we hope for no recurrence.
Firstly, dear Susi broke the frame of her glasses. In double quick time they were sent to Mwanza for repair. We know the optician well and he knows Susi. His name is Mr Huruma, which is the Swahili word for ‘compassion’. Living up to his name, and with great generosity, he made a spare pair of glasses for Susi free of charge. Thank you, Mr Huruma.
We have a good system for responding to the unexpected. We receive a payment request, along with an estimate, from Tanzania colleagues and this is then authorised before funds are removed from our Mwanza bank. As the city is 80 miles from the Children’s Centre cash is sent through mobile phones in a system generally called Mpesa. It is cheap and efficient and equivalent to our bank to bank transfer and ideal for rural locations. We have a very good fundi (tradesman), Mr Deus, who we can call upon to do much of our maintenance work. Through this system emergencies call be dealt with very quickly despite the distances involved.
Folk in rural Tanzania have a close relationship with the forces of nature. Fishermen on Lake Victoria contend with violent storms, farmers fear drought and flood, and the possibilities of hunger and destitution are there for many people. Families have to be resilient.
The children at Mayega Children’s Centre connect with the natural world – in our vegetable garden, by growing many young trees and bushes to improve the environment, and through keeping chickens. These are not just chores or interests but life skills that may be needed in the future.
One of the boys, Paschali, has particular interests. He keeps pigeons (‘for looking, not eating’, as he once memorably said), looks after Floppy, the Centre’s puppy, and has now started growing seedlings in his tree garden. This remarkable youngster would like to be a wildlife ranger. There is strong competition for places on the national course but the wonderful thing is that Paschali has that aspiration.