Busega Scotland - Tanzania (CDD)

Busega Scotland’s future founders visited Mayega Children’s Centre in 2014. They found the children were living in deplorable conditons, begging for food, and not going to school. Busega Scotland was formed in collaboration with local staff and became a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation in 2015. They are based in Moray, have no paid staff in the UK, and all the work is done on a voluntary basis, paying no expenses. In Tanzania, they employ 12 staff on a full, part-time or sessional basis. 12 UK volunteers have travelled to Tanzania for inspection, training, and development work, and all self-funded. The commitment of all concerned to the work of Busega Scotland is immense and reflects their modo - Tuna Jenga Nyumba Moja – We Are Building One House.

Mayega Children’s Centre provides a home for up to 24 children and young people from very poor and disadvantaged backgrounds. Busega Scotland manages and finances the Centre. It is owned by Mayega village and licensed by the Tanzanian government. The Centre meets the children’s physical, social, and emotional needs, and worries about the future have been replaced by confidence and positive expectations. Educational attainment has been transformed. There has been construction of two new buildings – a kitchen and a school room with an adjacent dining room. There is now a security fence, vegetable garden, shade and fruit trees, solar and mains electricity, and piped water.

The Moving-on project provides educational, practical, social, and emotional support for young people leaving the Children’s Centre. In 2014 there were major educational challenges. The children had little or no educational backgrounds, local schools were performing poorly, and there was no learning culture at the Centre. It was clear that without supplementary education the children were not going to progress. They appointed a teacher in 2018, and the results have been outstanding. Up until 2021 no young person at the Centre had achieved high enough grades to pass Form 4 (O Level) and leavers were supported to achieve nationally recognised qualifications in motor mechanics, secretarial studies, primary teaching, electrical installation, welding, and tailoring and design.

Since 2022 all nine students have passed Form 4. Four have proceeded to university and are the focus of LYT’s CDD of £4,564 in July of 2026. In conjunction with LYT’s philosophy of offering ‘a Choice, a Chance, and Hope’, the support will aid in in meeting the shortfall in funding for the university students, as well as the hiring of a social worker for Moving On for 12 months. We’re so honoured to play even a small role in their very bright futures and look forward to sharing their updates with all of you.

To learn more about the amazing work being done by Busega Scotland, including additional projects from Mayega Children’s Centre, please visit: https://busegascotland.co.uk