Despite all the set backs that arise when working in a country as poor as Zambia, the good news outweighs the bad. The development at Katapazi Village is in the final stages of completion. Thanks to an extremely generous grant aid from Jersey Overseas Aid Commission, this project undertaken by The Butterfly Tree to improve the health and education facilities for Katapazi, is almost finished. To advance the project a bore hole funded by Just a Drop and W Foundation has been installed for the school, this had an additional use making the building of the classroom much easier.

Katapazi a remote community with a polulation in excess of 5000 lies over 30 miles from Livingstone. It is accessible only by tracks and during the rainy season these become impassable. Part of the Mukuni Chiefdom Katapazi has a basic school and clinic, both were badly in need of restoration and advancement. The school has 500 pupils and most of them had to drop out after grade seven as the distance to the next school was too great. They can now add two more grades for the older children and benefit from having a spacious 1×3 classroom block and additional pit-latrine toilets.

Katapzi Village: new classroom block             pit-latrine toilet

For the men of Katapazi the facilities at the clinic were non-existent, the nearest health centre demanded a walk of over 25 miles resulting in uneccessary deaths. Besides restorating the existing clinic we have built a seperate male ward and installed solar panels to provide lightning for the clinic to operate at night. In addition we have purchased a paraffin fridge for the medical needs which include malaria and HIV/AIDS medication. We would like to thank the people of Jersey for this invaluable assistance, where the men can be treated and lives can be saved.

Male ward under construction                       paraffin fridge containing medication

There are many more villages that have no schools or health centres. The Butterfly Tree aims to offer others the same opportunity as Katapazi, which has enabled these vulnerable children to receive a sound education and given access to improved health facilities for an entire community.

Today marks the 45th Independence Day of Zambia, formerly known as Northern Rhodesia. A land-locked country in Southern Africa with a tropical climate. Today is also International Day of Climate Action and Zambia like most developing countries is effected by global warming. January 2008 saw the worst flooding for over twenty years. With no rain from March to October the rural communities depend heavily on ‘good’ rains - too little means shortage of food; too much and the crops are damaged and people are displaced through flooding.

The Butterfly Tree, although primarily a humanitarian charity, believes that supporting enviromental issues will enhance our programs and improve the areas where we work. We are currently seeking funding to build an Eco-toursim Centre in Mukuni Village. This will include planting millions of trees; many forests have been depleted due to the indingenous people’s dependency on wood. Trees are cut to build houses, make charcoal for cooking and in the use of curio making, the communities main source of income.

Stagnant drinking water: young Mukuni boys drink this bacteria infected water 

We will be working with African Community Project, founded by Canadian Garry Brooks, who will manage the project. This is an exciting time for Mukuni, the Chiefdom is progressing and the area around the Victoria Falls is rapidly developing in toursim. The Eco-Tourism Centre will create employment and education for the local people with the aim of attracting international volunteers to attend the program, where a lodge will accomodate the visitors.

Every level of community has to do its bit to help with climate change, planting trees is one of the best ways we see fit for Mukuni Village. Global warming badly effects these vulnerable communities, mosquito-borne diseases are increased and this area is prevelant in malaria. To commerate Zambian Independence and acknowledge International Day of Climate Change we are joining forces with Basement Crew, a group of Zambian DJs who work in London. Tonight they are appearing at a 45th Zambian Independance Day Celebration and will appeal to all Zambians worldwide to help tackle the Africa malaria problem that effects millions of their families and friends in Zambia.

After six months without rain October sees the start of the rainy season in Zambia. The parched earth, the dry river beds, the farmers and wildlife welcome the precipitation and so do the mosquitos - the most unwelcome of creatures. Africa malaria is the number one killer of man; seventy-five per cent of people worldwide who die from this disease are children under the age of five mostly in Sub-Sahara Africa. This region has Plasmodium falciparum, the most common and deadliest form of malaria, but easily treated if diagnosed in time.

The Zambian government’s policy is to provide mosquito nets for all pregnant women and under-five children. However during my recent visit to Mukuni I found that there was a huge shortfall, when asked to deliver these nets to certain villages less than half of the required amount had been provided. HIV/AIDS sufferers are also vulnerable and need protection. Working with our NGO team on the ground we are determined to supply these remote communities with additional nets before the heavy rains make the villages inaccessible. 

Malaria at Mukuni: These young children need protection against this disease

This week I attended a Philanthropy Forum in London, listening to some of Briton’s biggest charity donors, including Sir Richard Branson tell us how they are tackling major issues such as global warming, poverty HIV/AIDS and malaria. Though there is tremendous support from international governments and wealthy donors I see very little filtering through to the rural villages such as  Mukuni. The Butterfly Tree supports a malaria program at Mukuni Health Centre by providing mosquito nets, malaria testing kits and education workshops. Please help us save lives by donating just £3 to purchase a mosquito net.

Challenging - this is how I would describe my recent trip to Zambia! As always good progress is being made in all areas but I was faced with a number of serious problems which needed urgent attention. This proved to me how essential it is to go regularly to Zambia not only to check on our projects and see where your funding is being used but most especially to establish the most critical needs.

Driving around the remote villages I frequently come across an orphan who has dropped out of school through lack of funds or a child who needs hospital treatment; again we were able to send a number of children to Livingstone Hospital. I was joined once more by Professor Doug Saunders from Sydney University accompanied by his wife, Margie and Karen Lytle from Arizona; their support was invaluable. Due to issues in the public health sector Mukuni clinic has not received any government funding for six months. I was informed by the district health officer without The Butterfly Tree’s medical supplies and funding, boosted by generous support from Saga Charitable Trust, the centre would be closed down. In addition there was no water for four days until we repaired the leaking tank and underground pipe work preventing an outbreak of disease.

On a happier note my sons, Mike and David did a terrific job raising funds through Facebeook to build four community houses for the elderly and widows with orphans. Accompanied by Martin, one of our team members, they drove endless journeys to remote villages to collect poles, grasses, mud and water. With temperatures soaring to 36 degrees they toiled daily until all four were completed.

The Butterfly Tree Community House        Baby Jane first baby born at maternity clinic

Our biggest project underway is at Katapazi Village, where we are building a 1x 3 classroom block; this will enable the school to upgrade and take in more pupils. A bore hole was added, one of three recently funded by Just a Drop and W Foundation. We are also making improvements to Katapazi clinic, adding a male ward, pit-latrines, solar panels and a paraffin fridge. This is being achieved through a grant received from Jersey Overseas Aid Commission. In the forthcoming year we aim to upgrade the schools of Siamasimbi and Kamwi, open a new school at Mandandi and a pre-school at Machenje.

New Katapazi classroom block                     Play Pump at Katapazi School

While visiting the six schools we are supporting I was dismayed to learn that the daily porridge, normally provided by the World Food Program, has not been forthcoming for several months. This means that many children are walking long distances to school and have to wait until supper before receving any nourishment. We are currently providing a feeding program at Mukuni for 350 children, funded by Cunninghams and have recently set up another one at Siamsimbi. Our intention is to supply porridge and beans to all these schools and provide them with seeds so they can grow vegetables and eventually become self-sustaining.

Although I love every part of my work as always The Butterfly Tree pre-school, totally funded by Gardiff,  holds a special place in my heart. Listening to these chlidren singing songs in English and acting out rhymes is a sheer joy to watch. We now have 245 young children and the number is growing, which means we must strive to provide more of these invaluable pre-schools to enable early education.

The Butterfly Tree pre-school at Mukuni      Ngandu pre-school

Education is the key and our orphan sponsorship program gives many pupils, who would otherwise have had to drop out, a chance to remain at school.  Obviously the more we expand our support to other schools more donors are needed to sponsor an orphan. We are aiming to complete the Mukuni High School science laboratory in the next few months, this will allow the orphans to complete grade 12 with all the neccessary qualifications. Three philanthropic travelers joined me from the US - Karen Lytle, Margret Bax and Casey Short who generously donated their time and funds to improve the education at Mukuni. In December the first high school leavers will be seeking career opportunities, with your support and sponsorship they now have prospects to improve their situation. Many, many thanks to everyone for supporting The Butterfly Tree and the children of Zambia. To see more photos of happy smiling faces go to the Photo Gallery and hear the Mukuni school choirs singing on Youtube.

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Founder & Chairman