TWO orphans from Tanzania who have studied in East Lancashire are to return home to fulfill their dreams.

Emmakulatha Bujik, 23, and Jesca Paulo, 24, studied at University Centre at Blackburn College as part of the Bethany Project, a Christian charity which helps vulnerable people in Tanzania.

A third student, Sophia Joseph, has written a dissertation on her experience as an international student and will study her PGCE in September.

Despite English being their second language, Emmakulatha and Jesca both gained first class degrees in Education Studies, validated by Lancaster University, and will complete their PGCE in June.

They will then return home to run a Bethany Project school, which was their aim when they first came to East Lancashire.

The trio have been living in Oswaldtwistle with Graham Pountain and his wife Sheila, who have been involved with the Bethany Project since 1991.

Jesca, who lived in a Bethany house with 110 orphans in Tanzania, said: “Tanzania is a developing country and there is a lot of poverty.

“When we came to England, we were all a bit worried as it was all new, but we want to make a difference.

“That is one reason we came here.

“We want to return to Tanzania and help to change the country and hopefully we now can with our education.

“We want to train teachers of the future and make sure that East Africa has good teachers, a better education system and also change the character and values for the better.”

Graham Pountain, a father-of-three, said he could only praise the three girls in his care.

He said: “All three have worked really hard with their studies. They believe that coming to the UK was a great privilege and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that they were determined to make the most of.”

The Bethany Project is looking for short term volunteers to spend two weeks in Tanzania teaching English and other subjects.