Moray couple who founded Busega Scotland charity after retiring are marking its 10th anniversary

A decade ago the kids weren’t getting enough to eat. Now one of them has just been accepted at university.

Moray charity Busega Scotland is inviting folk to its tenth anniversary party next month – an evening to celebrate the progress made by a centre for abandoned children in Tanzania.

Busega Scotland was founded in 2014 by Christine and John Carney who live in Garmouth.

The couple began travelling out to Tanzania after they’d each retired - him from Moray Council’s social work department, her from Cornerstone, an organisation which helps people with learning difficulties.

Earlier in life Christine and John had worked for a total of five years as teachers in Africa, first in Nigeria, then in Zambia. But now their intention was only to be involved for a six-month stint in Tanzania.

However, the Mayega children’s centre was experiencing such problems that, when the six months ended, it had become emotionally impossible for the couple to just turn their backs and walk away.

John said: “The improvements over the last decade are down to the hard work and abilities of the Tanzanian staff. All we’ve done is to help make it financially possible and provided some guidance from our work experiences.

“We have had enormous help from trustees and supporters. It’s been a real team effort”

To outline some of the improvements at the centre, it’s probably best to start by stating it’s currently home to 23 youngsters, all of whom now have proper bedding, three square meals a day, plus access to education, medical help, running water and electricity.

Christine and John are also still in contact with most of the young people who have lived there over the past decade.

Amongst them are welders, seamstresses, mechanics and secretaries who were all helped through their vocational qualifications by Busega Scotland.

The centre is far from luxurious by Western standards, however it offers chances in life that many children in Tanzania don’t have. Therefore, to head off any potential resentment, Busega Scotland also support the local village’s primary school.

A collaboration with Elgin Rotary has seen toilet blocks constructed at the school. In addition, many fresh water sources have been built about the village.

Another offshoot of Busega Scotland’s work has seen 15 credit unions set up to help more than 500 women in the village and wider region.

By pooling their resources and with grants from Busega Scotland, the women can offer each other short term loans to help them run the tiny businesses, such as selling tomatoes or fish, by which they support their families.

Being able to speak English is essential in Tanzania if you want to sit the academic exams required to follow a profession such as doctor or lawyer.

Busega Scotland therefore employ a teacher for extra tuition and four of the centre’s staff are fluent English speakers. Now three of the centre’s older charges are sitting their A-levels and it is very competitive to get on those courses.

Although this means supporting the trio at a boarding school sited in a less rural part of Tanzania where it’s possible to study for such exams.

But it’s possibly the recent achievement of a young lady called Tangu that provides the most eloquent testament to how horizons have widened in the past decade.

Tangu has just been accepted to go university in Dodoma, the nation’s capital, to study population and development planning.

Christine said: “We’ve felt just as much pleasure when the youngsters in Tanzania achieve something as we did with our own three kids.”

Busega Scotland is inviting everyone to a fundraising curry night at the Qismat restaurant on Elgin High Street from 6.30pm onwards on Tuesday, October 8.

It’s £30 for a three-course buffet meal plus tea or coffee. The evening will also feature a talk by the writer and comedian AL Kennedy, plus a unique African-themed raffle.

Contact Christine and John on 07936 383800 to book places.