Despite the continued economic crisis I am pleased to say The Butterfly Tree is doing extremely well. Through sheer determination and hard work we have managed to secure a number of grants which will enable us to take on new villages and six more schools. We shall continue to operate in Mukuni but if this success continues The Butterly Tree will be able to spread its wings in 2011 offering support to other chiefdoms.

I shall shortly be leaving for Zambia and one of the projects I am hoping to set up is a small initiative for the pupils on our orphan sponsorship program. In December 2009 a number of them completed grade twelve and have now left the high school we built. Sadly there is little employment and our aim is to support a sustainable income-generating activity for these vulnerable orphans. One project is for them to have a small business making school uniforms and selling school supplies.

Charity funding for Mukuni: Jacob Siatubitu completes the orphan sponsorship program

Once the high school Science lab is finished it will enable the pupils to take all the related subjects and sit internal examinations. They can also be taught about how to protect their enviroment and eco-tourism. My son, Mike and a friend will be cycling from London to Nottingham to raise funds for this much needed project.

The Mukuni Chiefdom is developing in tourism and last month saw the launch of the Mukuni Big 5 Safaris. Currently tourists can walk with the lions, go elephant back riding with many more plans on the horizon. This will also create much needed work for the people.

Nothing pleases me more than to learn that our projects are making a difference. When we started the under fives’ feeding program to help HIV mothers it was the first of its kind in Zambia. The Butterfly Tree provides formulae to replace breastmilk in HIV positive mothers to prevent the tansmission of HIV and AIDS in Zambia from mother to infant. Many babies also suffer from malnutrition having being breastfed for the first six months.  After six months the chances of transmission increase so we provide the formulae and vitamin supplements to give the babies a chance. Last week all the babies on the program were tested and everyone of them was HIV negative.

HIV/AIDS in Zambia: these babies are healthy and free of HIV

Although the charity has raised the funds thanks must also go to the hard-working medical staff at Mukuni Village who run our health projects. Donations received during last years GlobalGiving Challenge also boosted our HIV/AIDS programs and will enable us to carry out workshops and voluntary testing for more rural villages in the Mukuni Chiefdom. For the past three years Saga Charitable Trust has provided us with funds to support our malaria program. Every year there is a shortfall of mosquito nets and malaria testing kits, 75% of people who die from Africa malaria are children under the age of five in Sub-Sahara Africa. It is vital that these vulnerable young children are protected and if tested in the early stages malaria can easily be treated.

This year besides continuing our support at Mukuni and Katapazi clinics we are building a house to accomodate medical staff for N’songwe Village. The community have built a clinic but have been unable to open it as there is no staff housing; at present the community members have to walk the long distance to Mukuni Health Centre. With these facilities we have a better chance to tackle the HIV and AIDS in Zambia and Africa malaria.