HIV and AIDS Education

One of the most important considerations when giving to charity is to ensure that the maximum amount goes directly to the cause and this is something that we continue to strive for. I repeatedly hear people say that they are through with giving to charities that deduct a sizeable amount of a donation to cover administration fees. Other hidden costs cover salaries, personal expenses and outlay for restructioning. Obviously the larger charities have to generate vast amounts of money and have high overheads but so much money is being misused. Last year it was revealed that one of the better known charities gave their Chief Executive and Deputy Leader over £800,000 in pay-offs.

Charity Giving: best use of donor funds – new school for Silelo pupils

The Butterfly Tree prides itself in being able to capitalise on a donation and use it in the best possible way that will benefit the rural communities we support in Zambia.  For the past six years we have been able to use donor funds to initiate projects such as building classrooms and clinics, bore holes, malaria and HIV and AIDS prevention programs, community housing and orphan sponsorship. No administration costs or personal fees have been deducted. Our loyal and committed teams both in Zambia and the UK work on a volunteer basis, dedicating their time and energy to improving the lives of those less fortunate. Administration fees in the UK are covered by the Chairman and we do not rent office space in either country.

Beneficiaries of Charity Giving – three young boys from Mukuni Village

This month we have changed our donation facility, as the one previously used has now added costs. The new facility is Mydonate, which is administered by British Telecom and provides us with a free, secure service and an easy-to-use method. We hope that this will be a great benefit to both The Butterfly Tree and our donors. For anyone wanting to create their own fundraising page Mydonate can also be used. Sporting challenges, events, school fundraising initiatives can benefit this method.

We are also registered with Just Giving, we pay monthly fee for this facility so anyone creating their own page can link to The Butterfly Tree.  For American Donors who require a 501 (c) 3 facility we are listed on the US GlobalGiving site. There are many other ways to help raise money for our cause, these include Giving Lots - charity auction site, Everyclick - a search engine that donates to charity every time you search on the web and we are also listed on Ebay for Charity. If you would like more information please contact: jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

To make a donation please use the Mydonate service now listed on our website.

Virtually all the work of The Butterfly Tree revolves around the HIV and AIDS orphans. At Mukuni Village almost 50% of the school children have lost one or more parent putting a huge burden on elderly grandparents and guardians and its the same story in every village. We believe that the only way to make the change is to target the younger generation and teach them all about HIV and AIDS prevention. Last year we were delighted to welcome Mutsa Marau to our team as a volunteer from London. Mutsa has a BA in Anthropoly and Socialogy, a MBA in International Business Practice and is a trained youth worker. She has written her own HIV and AIDS prevention program to train peer educators amongst school children, for the past four and a half months has worked with pupils at Mukuni.

HIV and AIDS Prevention Co-ordinator – Mutsa Murau

Now these dedicated young people are ready to ‘spread the word’ and are reaching out to other rural schools. They are educating their peers on the dangers of HIV, how to prevent it, the importance of voluntary testing and how to live with it if you are unfortunate to have been born with the virus. Other issues include teenage pregnancy and other sexually transmitted diseases and surrounding issues. With our support their aim is to reach out to all the schools we are involved with and beyond. Several of these educators are from The Butterfly Tree orphan sponsorship program and it is wonderful to see the progress they have made as inviduals and a group.

Natasha – Peer Educator and orphan sponsored by The Butterfly Tree

Another volunteer, Brendan Poynton, is currently raising funds to build a Music Centre at Mukuni. This will give these vulnerable HIV and AIDS orphans an opportunity to hold concerts and social activities to raise funds and awareness to help the fight against this devastating disease. Through several fundraising events Brendan has almost reached his target and has

now organised a charity auction, through MUSIC EARTH RISE, to complete his task. There are some amazing lots including a guitar signed by Eric Clapton and a print signed by Ronnie Wood. If you would like to bid for any of the items please use the following click on Music Earth Rise Auction.

Alfred is not an orphan but his parents are seperated and have very little income. He attends school and makes clothes to generate some money. During my last visit to Mukuni Village I was horrified to learn that Alfred had attempted to commit suicide. When I was asked to counsel him I was unsure of how to approach the matter. I got a run down from his teacher and learnt that he was very intelligent and hard working. When I met this fine young man I let him explain what happened. He told me that he had helped with the housework, prepared supper for the family but had to go away for a couple of hours. When he returned, feeling very hungry after not eating since early morning, he was horrified to find that all the food had been eaten by his family. After an argument with his brother, feeling weak and deprived he went into the bushes and attempted to end his life. Miraculously he was found before it was too late.

School Feeding Programs: Albert earning a sustainable income

When we hear of a young person in the west taking a life it is most likely to be fuelled by drug or alcohol abuse or perhaps bullying at school, but not from hunger. For these rural communites in Zambia hunger goes hand in hand with poverty and our aim is to address the situation at all the schools we support. Sustainable feeding programs are a long-term solution. For the past five years Cunninghams have provided funds for 350 vulnerable children to receive a daily nutritional meal at Mukuni. Many of these children have to walk several miles to school to commence lessons at 7am followed by an afternoon of activities. This feeding programme has helped to improve the health, concentration and stamina of numerous school pupils.

Kamwi Basic School feeding programme

Without sponsorship we are unable to offer such programmes in other schools, though we do provide seeds for several schools to grow produce to supplement their diet. October to March is the rainy season in Zambia therefore it is vital to plant as much maize as possible to provide food for the dry season. The daily porridge from the World Food Program is intermittent and insufficient  for three school terms. Education is the key to overcoming problems of hunger. As for Albert, though he is not an orphan he is vulnerable, and has been added to our orphan sponsorship programme and will be given funds to develop his sewing business to create sustainability for himself and his family.

This December we have raised a record amount of funds primarily as a result of participating in the BigGive Christmas Challege and two substantial grants from two of our major donors. The British and Foreign School Society has generously given a further grant to supply equipment and materials for the four new schools we have built at Mandandi, Matengu, Silelo and Malima. Included in this grant are funds to send twenty school leavers to study at college. These courses will include hotel management, engineering, computing and mechanics. Saga Charitable Trust have continued their support by once again funding our malaria prevention programme in Mukuni Village. Providing mosquito nets, malaria testing kits and educational workshops play a vital role in saving precious young lives.

Young Mukuni girl at The Butterfly Tree Pre-school

At the beginninng of December we took part in the BigGive Christmas Challenge and would like to thank everyone of our donors who patiently donated online and to the ones, including Cunninghams and Gardiff, who had previously pledged £3000. The competition was steep and funds were depleted within an hour of each day. Amazingly on the third day we reached our target of £6000, with Music Earth Rise making a significant contribution. As a result the two amounts combined total £9000 and have been doubled thanks to the BigGive philanthropy fund and their major donors.

Silelo pupils will attend their new school in 2012

2011 has been an incredible year taking on many more challenges and reaching out to new areas in the Mukuni and Musokotwane Chiefdom. In 2012 we will be building another clinic at Mahalulu in and a new school for Sibbulo community in the Sikute Chiefdom close to the Botswana border, funded by grant aid from the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission. We are helping thousands of orphaned and vulnerable children to have a better chance in life by improving their water, health and education facilities. I would like to thank everyone who has supported us – donors, volunteers, corporate, schools, clubs and individuals who have trusted in our beliefs, which has enabled us to make a difference in one of the poorest areas on the planet.

From all of The Butterfly Tree team both in the UK and Zambia - we wish you a very Happy Christmas and a healthy and peaceful New Year!

This month most of us will be frantically buying presents and getting ready for the Christmas festivities. The shops are stacked with merchandice, delicious food and an abundance of drink and yet we still struggle to find that special present with a difference. One way to overcome this problem is to give a charitable gift and there are many ways this can be done. Each year hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of unwanted presents get tossed in the trash - money, time and effort all spent in vain.

Charity Christmas: Supper brewing for a grandmother with five orphans

If you want to find a worthwhile present, which not only offers pleasure to both the giver and the recipient, but can benefit a third party who is less fortunate, then you may like to consider one of the following options: Sponsoring an orphan in Zambia will provide an education for a child, donating a mosquito net could save a child’s life or build a house to accommodate an entire family. There are many other ways to help the orphans – donate a bicycle for a child who has to walk a long distance to school, buy a bag of maize for just £10 or donate a blanket for the cold winter nights for only £15.

Sponsor an orphan – Bright Siabenlengu, Mukuni Village

For most Zambians the highlight of their Christmas Day will be going to church, very few will have a celebratory meal or exchange presents. Two thirds of the population lives on less than one pound per day – their stress is not brought on from deciding what present to buy their family members, but whether they will have enough n’shima (ground maize), vegetables and ground nuts to feed the whole family. One young boy, just fifteen years of age, from Mukuni, recently tried to take his life because he could no longer cope with being constantly hungry. Please give this a thought when you are filling your trolley – do you really need that extra bottle of wine?