I have recently returned from Tanzania, where I was working on-board the Jubilee Hope Medical Ship on Lake Victoria. The ship is an ex-Naval vessel which was sailed on an epic journey all the way from Glasgow, around the Cape of Good Hope and up to Mombassa. It was then cut in half and taken by road to Lake Victoria, where it was rebuilt and sailed 36 hours across the lake to Mwanza. The ship has been operating out of Mwanza for 9 months, serving the island communities of Lake Victoria who would otherwise have little or no access to…

In September this year I spent an amazing three weeks in Tanzania, returning there for my 3rd time. It was a truly special experience and one I yet again will never forget. The first week of my adventure was spent taking part in a Vine Trust Care expedition, which then led on to a two-week home building expedition, during which the group were involved in building 3 family homes.  I spent time in a primary school called Rafiki Foundation, where the children living at the Kimashuku Children’s Centre attend.  I visited their classrooms, spending time in music and geography classes,…

Kelvin, 16, was homeless. The young Tanzanian schoolboy had to move in with his cousins and his dream of becoming an engineer was disappearing. It wasn’t until our volunteers at Vine Trust were called in to build him and his family a home brick by brick, that his dreams were given a new lease of life. Many children and their families in Tanzania have a story like Kelvin’s. The devastating effects of poverty and HIV are tearing families apart, often forcing young boys to provide for their families rather than getting an education and following their dreams. When we returned…

We first met Nehma, Goodluck and and Emmanuel when we arrived to build the 1st children's home in Kimashuku in 2011. The children all have different life stories, but what amazes me is seeing their growing confidence year on year. I wrote the following in my 'blog' about these three children after seeing them again earlier this year. Nehma, a lost little girl 4 years ago, is now 12. She is happy and contented and now attends secondary school. She hopes to become a teacher. Goodluck, once shy and retiring, is now much more confident, and would like to be…

In Easter 2016 I swapped my usual day job “tools” of pen, paper and emails for a shovel and a bucket on a work party to Moshi, Tanzania.  I had the great privilege of being part of a group of 16 people from Inverness. Our group comprised 5 people from St Columba Church of Scotland, six sixth year pupils from Inverness Royal Academy (one of whom was my eldest son Lewis), two of their teachers, two cheery “independent” leaders and me, the parent help!    This was not my first time on a Vine Trust work party. When I visited Peru…