Athenry News & Views Spring 2026

Athenry News & Views Athenry - Simanjiro Partnership

Tweny years on ....

by: Nuala King & Mary Doherty

It’s time to take a backward glance and move forward with as much optimism as we can muster. Established on 1st November 2005, the Athenry Simanjiro Partnership is a 100% voluntary organisation of Athenry parish with a congregation of Divine Word Missionaries in Simanjiro, Tanzania, East Africa. Just as Athenry is in the Archdiocese of Tuam, Simanjiro is in the Archdiocese of Arusha, Tanzania, East Africa. The aim is to improve the spiritual and material lives of the disadvantaged, mainly Maasai people, who occupy this region and to share ideas and culture to the benefit of each partner. The area (Parish) is categorised as a hardship area due to many factors, such as: • The high rate of Illiteracy, due to inadequate education arising from the lack of schools within the entire region and the low value placed on formal education by many of the Maasai tribe. • Income is from farming that includes cattle, sheep and goats. The tough climatic conditions of longer droughts and little guarantee of rain when most needed, are major set-backs to economic progress in the area. When the rains come they can do a lot of infrastructural damage. • Health problems span the full spectrum - HIV AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, dysentery, snake bites, to name but a few. Maternal deaths are a cause of real concern. • Children aren’t children for long. They have to assume adult duties at very young ages. The Benefits of Partnership for Simanjiro The first assessment of Simanjiro had echoes of pre-famine Ireland with poverty, mud huts and lack of sanitation, but Ireland, at least had water available, even if it had to be drawn from the well. Simanjiro had no well. The first project sponsored by Athenry parish, in 2006, was to drill for water, 550 feet deep and the

well yielded generously and continues to supply water 20 years on. This well is sustainable. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Many drilling attempts in Tanzania come to naught; water may be found but without rock, the sand and silt will cave in and render the well useless. Next Development 6 volunteers – 2 doctors, 2 nurses, 1 physiotherapist and 1 teacher volunteered at the very low grade hospital in Emboret, Simanjiro, located on the Mission compound.. They up-skilled staff through training and put simple practices in place to achieve better outcomes for patients. Essential, urgent hospital repairs were done. These young people were horrified to see the conditions and couldn’t believe that such conditions existed in any health care setting. There was no water in the hospital but at least there was an outside tap with water now. They returned to Ireland with enthusiasm and suggestions. 2007 – 2009 Projects • Brought water into the hospital • Built a new parish church to replace a timber structure ravaged by age, rain storms and drought.

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