Reg charity 1084849 luhimbaproject@gmail.com 07786651458 I hope you are all keeping safe and well and coping with these troubled times. This year is turning out to be very active and busy time for the project. In spite of the fact that we have not been able to do as much fundraising as possible or visit Luhimba during the past couple of years I am so pleased we have still managed to achieve so much to help the villagers of Luhimba and the wider community around Tanzania. This has only been possible because of the loyal and continued support of our regular sponsors and very generous donations received from individuals and organisations around the Weston and South Wales areas. Thank you all so very much. Also, at present it would be very difficult to run all our different projects without the selfless help of our friends in Tanzania. Here I must make a special mention again of Atwaya Lahi and Dianarose Mwanyika. Atwaya and Dianarose are among the several students from the Luhimba area whom we have sponsored through university and both graduated with good honours degrees a few years ago. After graduating Atwaya returned to the village and deals with all day-to-day project matters. We communicate regularly via WhatsApp. Dianarose graduated from Dodoma University and currently lives in Dar es Salaam where she runs her own business. She also deals with families who have children who need regular hospital treatment, making payments to the clinics and centres which provide treatment for the children. Both Atwaya and Dianarose are tremendous sources of advice on all aspects of the project., with their thorough knowledge of the Tanzanian way of life. Most of the photographs in this report were taken and sent to me by Atwaya and other local people. Student sponsorship: Over the years we have sponsored several students from Luhimba through universities and various vocational colleges throughout Tanzania. Pictured here are some of the current students we help.

Support for an elderly couple following a fire at their house: A couple of weeks ago Atwaya asked if we could help an elderly couple in the village. Mr Chabayanga and his wife who are both in their seventies, live near the village office. One night a fire broke out in their house and the roof collapsed inwards. Luckily neither of them was hurt but all their belongings were destroyed and they were left with nowhere to live. The immediate way we could help was to put a new roof on their house with new timbers and new corrugated sheets. The cost of these was 800,000 Tanzanian shillings (£270). I sent the money to Atwaya via Western Union. It reached him the same day. He purchased the materials and the carpenter started work straight away. All done within a couple of days! It is amazing how communication and the transfer of money has improved over the years. Not too long ago this would have involved sending letters and expensive bank transfers taking several days. WhatsApp and Western Union have been such a boon!

Covid: Last week I received a message from Dr Magige, the village doctor. He tells me that Covid is spreading rapidly in surrounding areas and that thankfully vaccinations are now being carried out at nearby centres (the regional hospital in Songea and Peramiho Hospital). But as a result of the spread of the Pandemic he says there is a shortage of medicines and protective equipment at Luhimba dispensary. He is in desperate need of masks, gloves and other PPE protection. We have already received some generous donations for this purpose from some of our donors. The money raised will be used to help the village dispensary and to support general health needs in the village. Apart from Covid, there are many children and adults in the village who require medical treatment for ongoing problems and one-off operations etc. A recent example is Luambano, a 14 year-old student at Nguluma Secondary School who broke his arm playing football. Atwaya called me to request some help as Luambano needed hospital treatment and his parents couldn’t afford it. We sent out £40 and he had his arm set in plaster the following day.

Support for small businesses: Over the years the project has supported small businesses both in and around Luhimba and further afield in other parts of Tanzania. This is to help mostly young people to become independent and self-supporting by setting up their own small sustainable businesses and to use the experience of other experienced business owners to guide them on the path to success. In the past these have included farming businesses, small shops, bee-keeping and enabling young people to take their driving tests, buying equipment to carry out a trade etc. At present we are helping a young woman called Zuhura to extend a small café she set up in her mother’s house on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam. We first met Zuhura when she worked as a waitress in Zanzibar about eight years ago. At that time she became ill with tuberculosis and moved back to her mother’s house in Dar to recover. About 4 years ago she started a small café at her mother’s house and has done quite well, saving hard to extend this business. She plans to build a one-room extension to serve more customers. She has saved over half the money she needs and has asked for financial help to complete the building. This is a wonderful example of helping an ambitious hard-working young person make a success of her life. I will keep you informed of her progress.

New classrooms for Luhimba Primary and Nguluma Secondary School: Last year it was decided that some new classrooms and buildings were needed at Luhimba Primary School and Nguluma Secondary School. This was a combined effort between the government, the villagers and The Luhimba Project. Work is now complete, giving these schools much improved facilities.

Computers for Charities: This is a UK based organisation which donates reconditioned computers to charities. They recently donated 2 laptops to our project – fully refurbished with Windows 10. These will go to Nguluma Secondary School in the village, which now has mains electricity. Pictured are 2 of our trustees, Eleanor and Rob Deane, who came with me to receive the laptops.

Luhimba Anglican Church: The Luhimba Project and the parishioners of Luhimba Anglican Church are extremely grateful to St Augustine’s Church in Locking for its very generous support for the Anglican Church in the village over so many years, both by supporting the pastor and more recently by also helping them buy basic materials to build a new church which the members are doing themselves. They get no help from anyone else. Pic taken Oct 19 during my last visit Pic taken 2021 Once again, many thanks to all of you for continuing to support the project so generously. Without that support we would certainly not have been able to survive. It is so heartwarming to know that your kindness is having such a positive and immediate impact on this delightful community in a remote corner of Africa. I am desperate to return to Luhimba again and can hardly wait for the time to come when this will be possible. With best wishes from Paul and all the Luhimba Project team Contact details: 49 Beach Road, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1BH Tel: 01934 620485 Mob: 07786651458 Email: <luhimbaproject@gmail.com>