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Anonymous Trust donation secures water supply at Basanza

TDT is very grateful to 'The Anonymous Trust', which has donated the funds required to provide a water supply to Basanza Dispensary in Kigoma.

Basanza dispensary serves a village population of 8645. TDT and a local NGO had previously provided solar lighting and power. However, the existing well had run dry, and water had to be collected from 5 Kms. by motorised bike trailer. The entire village community will also benefit from the new water supply.

Charity Walk for Lake Victoria Disability Centre

In 2005, TDT made a substantial grant to the Lake Victoria Disability Centre in Musoma. On an ongoing basis, Dr Manjul Vasant raises funds privately for this centre, including an annual charity walk. This year's date is Friday 15th June, 2pm start at Putney Bridge, end Scout Hut Putney Common for BBQ and drinks! More details from mvasant@btinternet.com, or download brochure.

Grants made at TDT May committee meeting

The TDT committeee met in May and approved grants totalling just over £12,000. These are listed alongside.

Three of the grants were TDT's contribution towards funding of the 'Kamachumu cluster', three secondary schools in Kagera: Tunamkubuka, Izimbya and Kibirizi. Funds from a generous donation by Hilden Charitable Fund earlier in the year have already been put to use, purchasing books, equipment and teaching materials. These four pictures show the joy of two of the schools on receiving the books and equipment.

A larger album of pictures from the schools is available on our Facebook page.

Whilst this is clearly a good news story, the picture in secondary education generally is a bleaker one.  An examination of the issues, which form the backdrop to recent changes in TDT's education funding policy, and the decision to initiate a 3-year funding programme for the 'Kamachumu cluster', may be found in the latest edition of the BTS newsletter.

Congratulations, Trevor!

Congratulations to BTS Vice-President and TDT committee member Trevor Jaggar, who has completed his sponsored swim.

Trevor amassed 170 lengths in his three visits to Uxbridge pool, that is 4.25 kilometres, or 2.7 miles. This is considerably more than the 100 lengths he was hoping for, and is a remarkable achievement, given that Trevor is in his 87th year!

Trevor was raising money for two charities, Tanzania Development Trust and Malaria No More UK. His JustGiving page remains live - please use the link above.

Feedback from four TDT VSO small grants

The four photos above were sent to us by VSO volunteers as examples of the impact and fantastic value of small grants (less than £500 each) received from TDT. Clockwise from top left:

• Masoud Haji a computer operator, employed by Zanzibar farmers' group UWAMWIMA, enters village community bank data into the computer for analysis. TDT's grant paid for the laptop and a camera to assist the work of volunteer Heshbon Kimotho.
• VSO's Mariska presents a certificate of attendance to Hamida, following a leadership seminar. Volunteer Brian Touray looks on, after training with the help of the projector provided by TDT. He also printed the certificates using the computer and the printer provided.
• The local padre blesses new laundry facilities at the Cheshire Home in Dodoma, renovated with a grant applied for by volunteer Susan Michell.
• Sempera Salim, working with farmers in Karagwe, Kagera, applied to build a mural board, as a centre of information and data, also to start a small library of agricultural text books in Kiswahili. Here he is, distributing information.

For further inspiring stories from our TDT VSO small grants scheme, visit our VSO Projects page. There is also a dedicated fund raising link for the scheme.

'Before' and 'After' images from VSO Pam Pauling

PAM PAULING, who applied for funds to provide a hygenic concrete washing area at St Walburg’s Hospital in Lindi region, has reported back to us on the project's completion.

In Tanzania, personal care for hospital patients is provided by their families who prepare food and wash clothes and dishes. In Pam's 'before and after' pictures, first she is standing by the only tap available for the relatives, and then (below) we can see the difference that a new washing area, with six taps and a large concrete sink, has made. This will be used for washing and cleaning cooking pots and utensils. (Click the image to enlarge)

In 2011 there was a cholera outbreak because of poor hygiene, but we hope that thanks to Pam and her colleagues this should never happen again - all for little more than £400!

3 new fund raisings on JustGiving

We are delighted to announce new fund raising pages on JustGiving for three very different projects.

BTS Vice-President and TDT committee member Trevor Jaggar plans a sponsored swim.

Trevor writes on his JustGiving page: "I am a pensioner nearer to my 87th than my 86th birthday. I propose during the week of April 16th to do a sponsored swim, the proceeds of which will be divided between two Charities : The Tanzania Development Trust and Malaria No More UK. During the week concerned I will visit the Uxbridge Pool three times and see how many 25-metre lengths I can complete in total. The target will be a minimum of 60 lengths ( 1.5 km. ) but, miracle permitting, I may manage up to 100 lengths ( 2.5 km. ).

Agnieszka Lekawa, from Edinburgh, and Marcin Budek recently climbed Mounts Meru and Kilimanjaro. Here they are, raising the Polish flag at the summit (click image to enlarge).

Agnieszka e-mailed us: "I am very glad I could support the Trust. We have just came back from Tanzania and we could see how poor the country is, clearly a lot of work needs to be done. We have climbed Kilimanjaro successfully, it was a very demanding climb. Many people had to turn back before they had reached the summit, some of them were carried down by porters. On the other hand the views and surroundings were magnificent, that was a dream trip, that's for sure. Our dream has come true."

Kate and Rel plan to run 12 10k runs in 2012. They are raising fund for TDT and three other charities: Blue Cross, Smile Train and The Bromley-by-Bow Centre. Given the nature of their project, doubtless there will be updates as the year progresses!

TDT is very grateful to all who raise money on its behalf, and we should like to wish these fund raisers the very best with their projects.

Claire Dalton's Karagwe Kapers IV now available!

Polygamous tribes - a trip to an outclinic near the Uganda border - bouncing through potholes in an overstuffed Land Cruiser - the perils of lunatic motorcylists - multitasking in Dar. Read the latest fascinating instalment of Karagwe Kapers by VSO hospital administrator Claire Dalton.

Project spending in 2011/12 almost reaches last year's record

TDT's committee met on 31st January and approved almost £19,000 of grants. 7 months through the financial year, this brings TDT's project spending in 2011/12 to within £1,000 of last year's record. This remarkable result has been achieved in a period of tightening budgets. TDT's ability to fund projects has been assisted considerably by the generosity of like-minded charities, and the committee would would like to thank them, as well as acknowledging the continuing generosity of TDT's core donors, and a few significant donations in the current year.

The individual grants are listed in the right-hand column. The heavy emphasis on education in this round of funding is somewhat coincidental, but the targetting of vocational and secondary education is in accordance with our revised guidelines. A top-up grant was allocated to the VSO small grants scheme, which has enabled seven further grants, again with a significant educational content, but also supporting a cattle project and a fish farming business.

Feedback from three TDT VSO small grant recipients

From Mike Goodman: "Many thanks for the grant of £451 last year to assist me with my VSO project at Kagondo Hospital. My objective was to improve the standards of nursing here but my findings were that a shortage of essential resources like scissors, fob watches, torches and tourniquets were actually more critical needs. Diabetes is on the increase now in TZ and there was a shortage of blood glucose monitors. Some visitors from UK in November brought out some good quality nursing supplies purchased with your grant. With some money remaining we were able to concentrate on improving the environment of the childrens ward at the hospital. We now have a cheerful play area for the children who are recovering with some toys, puzzles, blackboards and colouring materials. Fortunately we had some very artistic and willing Dutch Medical students on placement here at just the right time.....I hope you like their art work!" (Click on the images to expand) 

WENDY PAINTING applied for a grant for textbooks and subject-related resources for the SMILE project in Zanzibar. With the local government unable to provide schools with even the most basic science equipment, her project to improve the quality of teaching and learning to around 6,500 students in Science, Maths and English was in danger of failure.

Wendy now reports: "Thanks to the grant provided by TDT, I was able to provide 5 schools with all of the materials needed to conduct each experiment/demonstration in the syllabus up to Standard 7. In addition, I was able to create “kits” containing more specialized equipment (such as galvanometers, voltammeters, resistance boxes, circuit components, dissection tools, magnets, compasses, mirrors, lenses, prisms etc.), to be shared amongst the schools for use in Forms 1 and 2.

In all, this means that every student has a chance to discover scientific concepts in a hands-on, participatory way. As research will tell you, this vastly improves student comprehension and retention, not to mention that it makes learning science a whole lot more fun!

The gratitude on the faces of teachers and students when the equipment was delivered speaks to the impact that even modest donations can make. Thank you to all the donors on behalf of all of us teaching here in Zanzibar!"

Fredrik Knoeff has followed up the image he sent in late-November of desks purchased for NGO Sharing Worlds, with news that he and Anthony Kanyamu had used TDT's grant to encourage donors in the Netherlands to fund chairs and a projector, making the conference centre an even more attractive proposition for renting. We are delighted that they were able to make TDT's grant work all the harder - well done Fredrik and Anthony! (Full details on VSO Projects page.)

If you would like to support our VSO Small Grants Scheme, we now have a dedicated JustGiving account for this very cost-effective scheme.  It can be found at http://www.justgiving.com/TDTVSOsmallgrants

Speech by British High Commissioner, Diane Corner, at BTS Tanzania Chapter AGM

In a speech reflecting on the close ties between Britain and Tanzania, the High Commissioner made generous reference to the roles of BTS and TDT:

"The thing I like about the Britain Tanzania Society is that you’re all volunteers. None of you has to be here – you do it out of a sense of commitment, affection and often a sense of dedication to a good cause – you just have to look at the work of the Tanzania Development Trust to understand that.

But I think that there is another essential ingredient which keeps the BTS not just alive, but a thriving organisation... And that is that we are genuinely interested in each other and in what is happening in each other’s countries, in the UK and in Tanzania...

As Tanzania approaches its 50th birthday, I think you would agree with me that the relationship with between our two countries is in very good health. And I see the Britain Tanzania Society as at the heart of that relationship. I see a Society which is going from strength to strength. I would like to congratulate the members of the committee here in Tanzania and all the members who are with us tonight for the tremendous contribution you make to building up ties of friendship and prosperity between our two nations."

And in return, we would like to thank the High Commissioner for her support. To read the full speech, please visit the British High Commission web site

TDT awards 9 more grants, and announces changes to Funding Guidelines

The TDT Committee met in November and made 9 further grants, totalling £15,645. Two of these projects were funded by third party donors - a family trust, Seaford Rotary and a couple of generous individuals. We are very grateful to such donors, who give an invaluable extra dimension to our ability to fund projects, particularly in uncertain economic times.

Brief details of the grants are in the right-hand column. Four grants were to help primary schools with a chronic problem of lack of desks (the picture shows a typical class in Bigabiro Primary School, with many children on the floor). TDT Chairman Julian Marcus will be writing on all the grants in the forthcoming BTS newsletter, and more details can also be found on our Projects page.

In the present economic climate, and with growing calls on funds, TDT's committee also announced changes to its Funding Guidelines (click to view). For the next two years, no applications will be considered for housing. Notwithstanding recent grants for desks in primary schools, funding will now only be considered for Secondary Schools and Vocational Education, as we feel that this is where there is currently the greatest need. Enhanced priority will be given to projects in Tanzania’s poorest regions.

TDT signs up to UK car donation scheme Giveacar

There's a new way you can help our work: you can turn your old car into cash for TDT! We are now signed up to Giveacar, the UK's first car donation scheme. Proceeds of scrapped or sold cars go to charities nominated by the car owner. You call them, they collect, the car is scrapped or sold, and 75% of the proceeds are sent to TDT. Also vans, lorries, motor cycles. So, if you have a vehicle ready for car heaven...

TDT Annual Report now available online

TDT's annual report, to June 30th 2011, is now available online. It charts a year of which BTS and TDT members can be justly proud: almost £107,000 was distributed to 25 projects, with a further £50,000 transmitted for private donors. Each project is described in the report, accompanied by photos. Click the image to open (PDF, 3MB).

TDT would like to thank all its donors; as ever, donations by BTS members formed a solid core, with additional funding from a number of partner trusts. But massive extra impetus was given to the year's activity by a substantial legacy. Information on legacy giving, and other forms of donation, can be found on our Donate page.

The AGM of the Britain-Tanzania Society and TDT will be held at the Central Hall Westminster on Saturday 12th November, at 2.00pm

Read VSO Claire Dalton's 'Karagwe Kapers'!

In conjunction with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), TDT has established a link with volunteer Claire Dalton, who started her assignment in July, as a Hospital Management Systems Advisor at Nyakahanga District Hospital, Karagwe District.

Claire's observations, starting with induction training, then establishing her new home surroundings, and now working on her assignment, are now available to read in a series of PDFs entitled 'Karagwe Kapers'. These are a fascinating insight into the life of a VSO in Tanzania, as well as into the life of a busy district hospital. The links below open the PDF's; there is also a link to Claire's Flickr photo sharing account.

Karagwe Kapers III: Working Life as a Hospital Management Information Systems Advisor
Karagwe Kapers II: Claire's 'Activities of Daily Living'
Karagwe Kapers I: VSO Induction and Training
Link to Claire's photos

September round of grants made by TDT Committee

In September, the TDT Committee and approved funding for 10 projects, amounting to almost £31,000. Listed in the right-hand column, these include investments in schools, essential repairs to an old people's home, the setting up of a new sustainable poultry project, provision of a diesel maize mill, and items of IT hardware to assist administration of existing projects and businesses. In line with our policy, they are also well dispersed across the country.

Thanks are due to people and organisations that have partnered us in some of these schemes, including Hilden Charitable Fund, St Edmund's Church, Riddlesdown, and two generous BTS members, one of whom has funded the entire repairs programme at Omurushenye Primary School, Kagera.

The Committee also approved an extension to the VSO Small Grants scheme.  Please see above for grants made subsequently.

"Visiting rural Tanzania dictated the career path I am embarking upon..."

Fourth-year Sheffield medical student AMY BAIGENT has recently returned from an elective placement at Nzega District Hospital, Tabora, following an earlier visit there when a pupil at Cranbook School in Kent. She has provided TDT with a remarkable account of her time there, including some wonderful images. Amy makes some very clear observations on the challenges of healthcare in Tanzania. She also explains how, with a small grant from TDT, she was able to provide supplies and equipment to make improvements, especially in ante- and post-natal care in the satellite clinic at Mwanhala (pictured). Read More...

Remember our promise:
EVERY POUND DONATED TO TDT IS SPENT ON PROJECTS.

CLICK HERE for our funding guidelines

Habari Njema! Good News!

The TDT Committee met in May, and made grants to fund the following:

• Additional funding for 3 secondary schools in the 'Kamachumu cluster' in Kagera (see left).
• Completion of new toilets at Lake Tanganyika Primary School, Kigoma.
• A goat breeding and sewing programme in Mara, empowering marginalised women through income generation and training.
• A community-based scheme to start egg production in Kagera.
• Installation of solar panels at Isunta primary school, Rukwa
• Toliets at Kizumbi Primary School, Shinyanga - the first since the school was established in 1972 (TDT's grant completed the funding, most of which had been raised locally).
• A scanner and laminator at Kiembesamaki Teachers' Centre, Zanzibar
• One additional application under the TDT VSO Small Grants scheme, for money maker irrigation pumps and knapsack sprayers for use in Kamachumu, Kagera.

The following grants were made by TDT in January:

• A dormitory, with solar lighting, for 120 girls at Zakia Meghig Secondary School, Kagera. We are grateful to Sylvia Adams Trust, whose matching contribution made this project possible.
• Rehabilitation of a classroom to facilitate vocational training at Ilagala village, 60km south of Kigoma. Read More...
• Establishment of a cookery and catering course at KIVIDEA. This, and the previous grant, are part of a vocational education cluster in Kigoma, to which Hilden Charitable Fund has made an essential contribution.
• Acquisition of essential equipment for Zanzibar South Teachers' Centre at Kiembesamaki, which serves over 2,400 teachers, responsible for more than 62,000 pupils.
• Completion of funding for Langiro Secondary School, Songea, providing textbooks and solar power to the school.
• A top-up grant of almost £2000 to the VSO small grants scheme. The 7 projects that this has enabled are listed on the VSO Projects page.

The following grants were made by TDT in November 2011:

• Four grants for desks at primary schools in Kigoma: Bigabiro, Kabingo, Kambarage and Luiche. Kabingo was kindly funded by a private family trust.
• An outdoor play centre at Kividea Vocational Training Centre in Kigoma. This was funded by Seaford Rotary Club, including £500 from an anonymous member. A BTS member also provided money for indoor play materials.
• Sewing machines at Namanditi Deaf School, Songea, to help give youngsters a vocational training.
• A top-up grant to complete a computer training centre, for which TDT had made an earlier grant, at Kahama vocational training project in Shinyanga.
• £2,500 to Christian Youth Network, to help set a group of more than 80 carers of orphans in goat-rearing and chicken-keeping.
• £1,000 to help establish rainwater capture in a school in the Usambaras Mountains of Tanga Region.

The following grants were made by TDT in September 2011:

• Toilets and a water tank, using rain water harvesting, at Sambala Primary School, Kigoma
• Restoration of the dining hall, provision of a wood-burning stove and repair of drains at Duga Old People's Home, Tanga
• Teachers' housing at Ifwagi Secondary School, Iringa.
• A diesel maize and rice mill (no electricity available) at Hurumia Watoto Group, Mwanza
• Solar power installation at Langiro Secondary School, Ruvuma
• A project to set up a group of 30 people in chicken rearing, in Mkata Mashariki, Handeni district
• Repair of a 40-year-old building in a state of near-collapse at Omurushenye Primary School, Kagera (kindly funded by a BTS member).
• IT equipment for UWAWIMA Farmers, Zanzibar, working with VSO, and for Tumaini Women's Group, Tanga
• An extension of the VSO small grants scheme, with a further 5 grants approved

Habari Njema Tena! More Good News!

John Morshead writes from the Radiography School at Muhimbili:

"...all of the equipment which you provided for our Radiography School at Muhimbili has arrived safely and in good condition. I am writing on behalf of all of the teachers in the school, and in particular the Acting Head of school Mr Lalison Ndolele, to express our appreciation...

Normally we really struggle for a very long time to obtain even a single item of equipment, and there is never enough to meet the need. However, we have now been able to give a laptop to each of our full time teachers, most of whom have not had the privilege of possessing one before. Moreover, the school library is generously equipped with all of the desk top computers... Students will also have access to the computers for private study, research and projects.

I want to thank most sincerely, both the Britain-Tanzania Society, as well as Computers for Africa for the great work that you do."