Education is the key to overcoming HIV and AIDS in Zambia. The Butterfly Tree is now supporting five schools in the Mukuni Cheifdom and hopes to offer assistance to many more in the future. Ngandu School built in 1939 by Roman Catholics, was taken over by the government in 1966. Sadly very little has been done since that year until The Butterfly Tree restored a classroom in 2007.

Ngandu has over 400 pupils and is a feeder school to Mukuni High, the pupils having to walk several miles each day. We have now commenced the work on another 1×2 classroom block, which is only partly in use due to the structure being deemed dangerous. The standard of teaching in these remote villages is extremely high but unfortunately the facilities are very basic. Government funding is minimal, they have no electricity and very little equipment.

Pupils at Ngandu School in the Mukuni Chiefdom

Like many of the rural schools Ngandu is very short of teacher’s accomodation and we are currently raising funds to built a new house, we have the foundations in place and a further £3000 is needed to complete the project. The school also has a number of orphans, many of which are being education through our orphan sponsorship program.

Your funds are vital helping to improve the lives of these vulnerable communities in the Mukuni Chiefdom. The more schools we can assist – the more children we can educate, then at least they have a chance in the future to reduce the number of orphans, as a result of this devastating desease. Please keep the funds flowing. The Butterfly Tree 2009 calendars are selling really well, each page has been sponsored enabling all the money to go directly to the cause.