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…

In January of this year some of our volunteers had the privilege of assisting in the delivery of the very first baby born on Jubilee Hope. The baby was named William and a few months after his birth he made a second visit to Jubilee Hope. As you can see from the photo he is looking healthy and happy. William was born during our very first trip this year where another 5,581 patients were treated by the Jubilee Hope team and 3 volunteers from the UK. It proved to be a great start to the year and the programme has…