Broad Street Wrington Web Archive
Two Josephs visit from Luhimba 
Thursday, 9th October, 2003
Wrington's association with the village of Luhimba in southern Tanzania stems from the work there of Michael Carey, and is vigorously maintained now by the school's former Head, Paul Temple.

He visits Luhimba at least twice a year at his
own expense, and this year ran with his daughter in the London Marathon to raise funds to bring two key people in the life of Luhimba to Weston super Mare where he now lives.
At a reception at Michael's house, Joseph Simsokwe described something of what the project means in the life
of his village.

His companion, Joseph Tago, is building the village secondary school with funds raised by the Luhimba Project


Most of the twenty or so people who came to meet the two Josephs, sponsor children to attend the school.
Joseph Simsokwe attended government agricultural college for two years and then returned to Luhimba as Agricultural
Extension Officer for the Luhimba Ward.
He has been the driving force behind much of the development which has taken place.

He lives, with his wife and four children, on a smallholding about a mile out of Luhimba village and is a member of the village council.

He now performs most of the duties elsewhere associated with an agricultural vet, but also fulfils wider roles.

He advises the local population on all matters agricultural - primarily cattle, crops and fertilisers.

He has plans for the diversification of local agriculture into poultry, bee-keeping and the farming of fish.

As well as giving him a chance to catch up with his old friend and mentor,
the evening was also an opportunity to meet someone newly becoming involved with the Luhimba project, Patricia Gaya, a PhD student from Bath University, a specialist in community development matters.
But Thursday evening in Wrington also means bellringing practice, so, at the kind invitation of John Dunstone, the two
Josephs next took the spiral staircase up the church tower
and into the ringing room where they were initiated into the mysteries of change ringing
After Wrington, their schedule includes a day at Cannington agricultural college, and an address to the British-Tanzania Society in London.