WHEN a Bratton Clovelly couple return to a Tanzanian village next year they hope to take with them the news that a safe water supply is no longer a distant dream.

Vivien and Graham England and their band of volunteers who make up 'Devon Aid Korogwe' are appealing for help to raise the £50,000 needed to dramatically improve the health of the 5,000 people who live in Kwasemangube and Magundi.

'It's hard to believe that in the first year of this new millennium, people are still dying because they do not have access to a clean, safe water supply,' said Vivien.

It was during one of their holiday visits to Tanzania that the couple learnt of the plight of villagers and made a promise to help.

'As tourists we had the best hotels to stay in and the most fantastic standard of everything yet, alongside that as you drive around, you see children with enlarged stomachs and women walking miles to fetch water for their families,' said Vivien,

'Then you realise the water they are carrying is full of bacteria and nasty diseases. Our initiative is intended to relieve women from the heavy and time consuming chore of collecting water from contaminated sources and to improve the health of the whole community.'

A local water engineer has produced a technical report.

Support has been given by the local council and the district water authority has issued an abstraction licence for a mountain spring to be gravity fed along ten kilometres of pipeline to Kwasemangube and Magundi.

Tests have confirmed there is sufficient volume of quality water for the scheme.

The two villages have formed a joint water committee and opened a bank account so each household will be charged for amounts used according to its ability to pay.

Vivien said the payments would cover the maintenance costs and training would be given throughout the construction period which could be 12 months. Villagers had volunteered to dig the trench, carry the sand, break the aggregate and back fill.

Many fundraising events have been held in Bratton Clovelly to boost the appeal but the Englands are hoping to extend it to Okehampton.

'The majority of people in Bratton Clovelly are behind this campaign and have given tremendous support,' she said. 'What we would like is a fundraising co-ordinator in Okehampton which has a much larger population.'

The charity comes under the banner of Devon Aid which links organisations throughout the county such as churches with groups of people in developing countries.

Vivien said the reception she and her husband had received from the residents in the Tanzanian villages had been 'amazing and unforgettable' and they had formed many good friendships.

'Once the water is installed we are not going to say goodbye — we would like to see the whole community develop along the lines of income generation, health, hygiene and sanitation,' she added.

'The children, particularly the girls, miss out on education by helping their mums carry water and provide for the family.'

Devon Aid Korogwe has already collected, serviced and delivered a number of typewriters and sewing machines to Tanzania as well as school text books and learning resources to the primary school at Kwasemangube, a project which Boasley Cross Primary School has been involved with.

The next fundraising event is a musical evening at Bratton Clovelly Parish Hall on December 2, featuring organist Mark Ireland. During the same weekend Okehampton Library will be having an exhibition about the charity's project.

If anyone can help this worthy cause or would like tickets for the musical evening they should call Vivien England on 01837 871310.