In the past twelve months we have been inudated with requests from people who want to volunteer at Mukuni. My son, Mike and his friend Lucy have just returned after spending two weeks working on The Butterfly Tree projects. Mike as a member of the charity, was able to check on our projects and visit several of the outreach schools where building construction is underway. The 1×3 classroom block at Kamwi Basic School is almost complete and a teacher’s house is currently being built; with the addition of a bore hole and feeding program, the children of this very poor, remote village will have a chance to improve their situation.

Volunteers at Mukuni: Lucy working at the pre-school   Mike visiting lions at ‘Mukuni Big Five’

A visit to Siamasimbi was also included now that the rains are over and the village is again accessible. Mike spoke to the entire community who rejoiced when he announced that the charity is to build a 1×2 classroom block and a teacher’s house for the school. At Mukuni massive construction is underway - a 1×3 classroom block for grades eight and nine, a classroom for special education and an additional one for The Butterfly Tree pre-school. It was here were Lucy spent most of her days as a volunteer, teaching English to the young African children. With some of the funds she and Mike raised, three schools were presented with exercise books, pens and educational material.

New classrooms for Kamwi Basic School & Special Education at Mukuni

The remainder of the funds raised by Mike and Nigel Birch through their sponsored cycle, were used to set up a goat-rearing project for women. Half the profits will be used to create a self-sustaining income and the other half will be offered to help the disabled people of Mukuni Village. There is always an opportunity for volunteers to help either at the school, clinic or work on a community project so long as they fund their own travel and accommodation. Not only is there the opportunity to help these vulnerable people, it is an amazing place to visit. The village is just 7 kilometres from one of the most spectacular areas in Africa, the magnificnet Victoria Falls. We can give advice on where to stay, transportation and make the arrangements to work with the ground team. All we ask in return is for the volunteers to do some fundrasing or give a donation to a project of their choice. Many of these volunteers have expressed a wish to return to Mukuni or get involed with The Butterfly Tree charity. Some of them sponsor an orphan and others have donated generously. If you would like to find more about the chance to volunteer please contact jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

Although the area where The Butterfly Tree works is not an area of famine there is a great deal of hunger, particularly amongst the children who have to walk a considerable distance to school. Leaving home at 4am, covering a distance of ten miles to reach school for start of lessons at 7am is not an easy task. This is to be followed by a full morning of lessons so by noon their stomachs are rumbling ferociously. For the lucky ones they will have brought food to school or been given money to buy something at the Mukuni Village market; for the less fortunate no food is available until after the return journey to their village.

Since 2006 The Butterfly has provided a nutritional feeding program, generously sponsored by Cunninghams for almost 500 vulnerable pupils at Mukuni Village. This year thanks to the generosity of Karen Lytle, a philanthropic traveler from Arizona four other schools, N’gandu, Kamwi, Siamasimbi and Katapazi have their own feeding programs. Mubiana Community School has also received funds donated by Placer Nature Centre. All of these schools, along with Mukuni, have been given seeds to grow their own vegetables to add sustainability. This year most of them had good crops of maize, the staple diet of Zambia. The maize has been dried, ground and stored for use during the dry season, now they are planting vegetables to support the feeding programs.

Feeding programs: Katapazi and Mukuni - two of the schools that grow their own maize

These feeding programs are essential, without them both attendence and performance is poor. We are encouring all the schools to become sustainable, each of them has been given a bore hole to support this program, the last to be completed is at Kamwi Basic School. This is a great boost for the schools, especially during the dry season when it is normal to go six months without rain. Once again we are grateful to Just a Drop for providing the funds for our water projects. Seeing fresh, clean water pumping from underground gives much joy to the communities and a healthier option than using rivers and streams contaminated with bacteria.

New bore hole & Indian hand pump for Kamwi Basic School

Both the feeding programs and water projects have made a substantial ‘Change for the Better’.

One of the great things about running a charity to help orphans is the enormous amount of interest and support it attracts. Now that we have been operating for over four year and have been able to achieve a great deal, we are getting a considerable amount of offers from individuals, schools and churches who genuinely want to help us make a difference. Besides collecting donations, they are doing their own fundraising activities to assit our programs in communities such as Mukuni.

On the 2nd May Mike Kaye and Nigel Birch set off at 06.00, from London’s Trafalgar Square, to cycle 165 miles to Nottingham. Much of their journey was cycling in torrential rain, facing north-easterly winds with temperatures barely reaching eight degrees. An arduous challenge to complete in one day. At 22.10 they finally arrived at Escucha in Nottingham to down a few well deserved pints! Mike is now on his way to Zambia with Lucy Machin to volunteer at Mukuni Village, the funds raised will be used for sport and educational materials. Later this month Jake Wilson-Gunn and Andrew Mottram will be cycling from Lands End to John O’ Groats. Others have done sponsored walks, swims and the iron-man challenge. Several schools have raised funds to sponsor an orphan and supplied bicyles for children in outreach villages to travel to Mukuni schools. Several churches have donated their collections to buy educational materials as well as supporting the orphan sponsorship program.

Fundraising for Mukuni: Mike & Nige cycled 165 miles from London to Nottingham

The local Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs have also been a great support, particulary building hokmes for the vulnerable. This month Basement Entertainment and the UK Zambian community held a fundraising event in London, where our charity song ‘Change for the Better’ was launched to increase global awareness and raise funds for our malaria program. One new fundrasing initiative we have started is to collect empty ink cartridges and old mobile phones for recycling. Empty Cartridges will provide a pre-paid envelope with The Butterfly Tree logo for you to send to them for recycling; in return they will donate to the charity for every item received. Any amount, however small or whichever way you chose to help, can improve the health and education of the those less fortunate in Zambia.

Donated bicycles for long distance travel         New home for widow with orphans

If anyone is interested in doing a challenge or an event, it need not be as strenous as a marathon or a cycle ride, a sponsored walk or simply making cakes as Lucy did and raised almost £100 by selling them to her office colleagues! We can provide you with advertising material, sponsorship forms and suggest ideas.  The Butterfly Tree team is very grateful to all those generous people who have already participated and especially to the ones who are offering on going support.