A BISHOP from Tanzania whose community has been helped by fundraisers in the Bratton Clovelly area paid a visit to the village last week to say thank you.

Bishop Philip Baji was staying with Vivien and Graham England who have been leading an appeal to bring a safe water supply to the Tanzanian village of Kwasemangube.

Under the banner of charity 'Devon Aid Korogwi' the Englands, who make frequent visits to Tanzania, and their band of volunteers, have already helped to improve the health of many hundreds of people.

Bishop Baji said in many villages in the Korogwi area women and children walked up to six kilometres to fetch water for their families.

'I think what is being done by this community in England to help the people of Korogwi is very very good,' he said.

'It takes a tremendous amount of time to fetch water and the water is not that healthy.

'The very first thing that has been done is to install some wells so our people do not have to travel great distances.'

During his stay in Bratton Clovelly, the bishop also visited Boasley Cross school which has donated books and equipment and formed links with schools in the region.

'It's a beautiful school and very lively,' said the bishop, who was particularly impressed with swimming pool.

'At home we have 40 plus students in every class but Boasley Cross has 40 in total so they are very lucky.'

After talks between the Englands and the authorities in Korogwe last year an abstraction licence was issued for a mountain spring to be gravity fed through ten kilometres of pipeline to Kwasemangube and Magundi.

But when the couple returned to the village earlier this year they found that some wells had already been put in by another charity.

'To our surprise some work had already been done but the wells were not finished off,' she said.

'We used funds to complete the work and have a survey done to make sure the wells are satisfactory.'

If the work is OK, two more wells will be installed and the Englands will be looking to help the village with other projects.

'There are plenty of other villages who need help with a safe water supply but we would like to continue helping the people of Kwasemangube who we have built up a strong relationship with,' she said.

'We believe in a hands-on follow up approach to ensure our hard earned money is being spent properly.'

The Devon Aid Korogwi is run by a group of trustees and all the money raised goes to charity.

Nothing is taken for administration.