Ipswich is home to people from all cultures and walks of life – and part of what makes it such a welcoming and diverse place to live is thanks to the hard work of a Nigerian woman who has called the town home for over 20 years.

Lara Uzokwe arrived in Ipswich with her youngest son, then aged six, in 2001. They had come to join her husband, a GP at Barack Lane Medical Centre.

Back then, Ipswich was a far different place to the town it is today, explained Mrs Uzokwe.

“There were very few black people,” she said. “You could spend the whole day in town and see perhaps one or two.”

At school, her son was the only black boy in his class. Finding the foods that reminded them of home was difficult too, and Mrs Uzokwe would find herself travelling to London to stock up.

Ipswich Star: In 2019, Lara Uzokwe was made an Ogbuefi (a chief) in her husband's hometown in Nigeria. Image: Lara UzokweIn 2019, Lara Uzokwe was made an Ogbuefi (a chief) in her husband's hometown in Nigeria. Image: Lara Uzokwe (Image: Lara Uzokwe)Ipswich Star: Lara is proud to have built Karibu up from a small group of a handful of women to a thriving community and a registered charity which has nurtured a generation of young people in Ipswich. Image: NewsquestLara is proud to have built Karibu up from a small group of a handful of women to a thriving community and a registered charity which has nurtured a generation of young people in Ipswich. Image: Newsquest (Image: Lara Uzokwe)

British culture, too, took some getting used to. People were more reserved, and making friends was not always easy.

That need to build a community and a new family was how the group Karibu came to be.  

The word translates to ‘You’re welcome’ in Swahili. At first, there were just a few women meeting at Mrs Uzokwe’s house, but word soon spread. The group is now a thriving community of people which regularly meets in Burlington Baptist Church Hall in Burlington Road.

Originally earmarked as a group for African women, Mrs Uzokwe stresses that the group welcomes everyone. 

The group allows people to share and celebrate their culture, from traditional food to dance, and, most importantly, respect for each other and for themselves. For children who have grown up in Ipswich, this is a vital link with their parents' home countries.

Ipswich Star: The annual hunt to find the best Jollof Rice in town has become a highlight in the Ipswich calendar. Image: Charlotte BondThe annual hunt to find the best Jollof Rice in town has become a highlight in the Ipswich calendar. Image: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Ipswich Star: The children who grew up being nurtured by Karibu are not so little anymore. Pictured: Clockwise L-R: Simon Uzokwe (Lara's son), Daniel Adjei-Henneh, Emily Grace and Lucy Grace. Image: Lara UzokweThe children who grew up being nurtured by Karibu are not so little anymore. Pictured: Clockwise L-R: Simon Uzokwe (Lara's son), Daniel Adjei-Henneh, Emily Grace and Lucy Grace. Image: Lara Uzokwe (Image: Lara Uzokwe)

At almost 20 years old, Karibu has nurtured a generation of children, who refer to each other as siblings.

Mrs Uzokwe said that she is incredibly proud of what Karibu has become, and of how Ipswich has changed in the intervening years.

“I have lived here for 23 years, the longest time I have lived anywhere in all my life,” she said.

“It’s my home now.”