A CHARITY from Minchinhampton which supports a village in East Africa has been helping the town's residents during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Minchinhampton Nkokoto Link is a local charity which supports the village of Nkokoto in Tanzania.

The charity received an appeal from Nkokoto to support the clinics in buying supplies and in May they sent 1,019,000 Tanzanian shillings (£340) for buying hand washing soap and masks for Nkokoto and Uhuru clinics.

In June, Charles Mswima, charity representative on Urambo District Council, reported that there were no deaths reported at Nkokoto and Urambo District at large. Only four patients were quarantined and they all recovered.

The Link also regularly supports the primary school in Nkokoto which has 800 pupils aged 7 to 13 with equipment and resources.

In January, the Link supported 32 sponsored students with uniforms and educational stationery and equipment, and provided 43 bikes for all children from Nkokoto starting at Vumilia Secondary School so that they can cycle to school safely and quickly.

Rod Harris, Chair of the Minchinhampton Nkokoto Link, said: "We are supporting a record number of students into further education as more students pass the exams and more students want to continue in further education. This is a tribute to the schools in Nkokoto and Vumilia. Lucky Mingini, our local Link representative in Nkokoto, has asked the parents to pay some of their living expenses, so the families are also supporting their further education. Also, this is a tribute to our supporters and the emphasis that the Link places on education.

"As education is our main priority the Link will support all requests so we felt able to support students entering higher education too, including 14 students at the FDC who are studying vocational courses such as design, sewing and cloth technology (they call it tailoring), electrical installation, mechanics and carpentry."

Mr Harris added:“It is so vitally important that the Link continues to support these young people in Nkokoto. Without the Link’s input, they would not get the opportunities to better themselves and move out of poverty.

"In the past, we have also put in boreholes and rainwater harvesting tanks, introduced a microfinance scheme, developed poultry and bee keeping schemes, and improved conditions for health and education in many ways.”