2006 to 2024

The Butterfly Tree charity was founded by Jane Kaye-Bailey in February 2006 after a business incentive trip to Zambia with her late husband, Lawrence. During a visit to Mukuni Village Jane learnt about the decimation caused by HIV and AIDS, every family had been infected or affected. 450 of the 1000 pupils attending Mukuni Basic School, were orphans. Shocked and disturbed by what she had discovered Jane was determined to find a way to raise funds and awareness to help these vulnerable children.

MARCH 2010 ESNAT, CYNTHIA AND ANGELA

SEPTEMBER 2012 – CYNTHIA, ESNAT AND ANGELA MEET HRH, THE PREINCESS ROYAL

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JLUY 2015 – ESNAT, CYNTHIA AND ANGELA

MARCH 2017 – CYNTHIA, ESNART AND ANGELA

In April 2006 vigilant about where the money would go, Jane and her son David, returned to Mukuni Village to offer further assistance, taking with them medical supplies for the clinic, clothing for the orphans, books and stationery for the school. They met the Chieftainess, the Prime Minister and the School’s Head Teacher, Presley Mulenga, gaining knowledge of what could be done to improve the lives of these ‘needy’ people. Much of the time was spent at Mukuni Basic School learning about the orphans. They returned to the UK to continue fundraising and to started the process of forming a charity.

Inspired by the three little girls, pictured above, the UK charity was founded by Jane and registered the following year, in February 2007. The Butterfly Tree was also registered as a Non-Government Organisation in Zambia, where the team comprises of the UK Trustees and local Zambian people. Between them they have a vast amount of experience in business, charitable and community work as well as health and education.

Now in its eleventh year The Butterfly Tree has made a significant difference to these rural villages in four Chiefdom –  advancing the education, health, water and community facilities, as well as advancements in malaria prevention. Vast amounts of education and medical supplies have been donated to schools and clinics. The Butterfly Tree’s orphan sponsorship programme, to date, has supported over 700 individual orphans, in addition to assisting thousands more vulnerable children. ‘The Butterfly Tree believes that every child has a right to education.’

Mukuni Pre-school Children before The Butterfly Tree

Mukuni Pre-school Children before The Butterfly Tree

Mukuni Pre-school

Mukuni Pre-school funded by The Butterfly Tree

In helping to fund a three-bay classroom Mukuni Basic School has the first rural ‘high school’ in the Kasungula District. The children can now complete grade twelve instead of having to leave after grade nine, as many cannot afford to board in Livinstone’s high schools. The BFSS provided The Butterfly Tree with a grant to equip the high school. The charity has also built a pre-school and was funding three members of staff, attended by 225 young children from Mukuni Village, until is was taken over by the government in 2015. 17 pit-latrine toilets have been provided for both the pupils and teachers. Huge amounts of stationery and equipment has been donated. Feeding programs for over 450 vulnerable children are funded at Mukuni. A further 15 schools are provided with seeds and fertilizer to create sustainable feeding programs.

2009 saw the upgrading of Katapazi School and bore holes were added to the schools of Katapazi, Mukuni, N’gandu and Siamasimbi. In 2010 six additional classrooms had been build at Kamwi, Siamasimbi, and three at Mukuni for special education, pre-school and grades 8 & 9. In 2011 a pre-school for Machenje and a new school for Mandandi were completed in the Mukuni Chiefdom. Matengu and Silelo in the Musokatwane Chiefdom have entire new schools which opened in 2012. Materials and equipment have been provided for all these schools with the addition of N’Songwe, Libala, Mulindi and Manyemunyemu.

Mandandi Children Zambia

46 of these children from Mandandi had never been to school

The renovation of the Mukuni Health Centre and building a maternity clinic was done in 2007. Katapazi’s clinic was restored and extended in 2009 and N’songwe had a staff house in 2010. Funds were also given to a ‘distraught’ family to build a new house after their home had burned down in an accidental fire, since then some 50 community houses have been built. A villager was given money to set up a welding business and an elderly man from Kamwi was given a donkey to ease his burden of carrying heavy loads of vegetables twenty miles to town, he supplied the school with his produce until his death in 2011. Other income-generating activities include goat and chicken rearing, uniform making and gardening.

Nine leaking tanks have been replaced at Mukuni Village and further bore holes have been added to Kamwi, Libala, Malima and Sibbulo schools and the villages of Chise and Kafekwa; each school grows vegetables to support the feeding programs.

Bore Hole

Borehole at Simamasimbi

Malaria Prevention and HIV and AIDS programs have been introduced, and also a housing project. 50 community houses have been built for the elderly and widows housing orphans. Treatment and operations have been funded for a number of sick children. Sustainable income-generating activities are being run at the schools and in the villages.

The villages of Ng’andu, Kamwi, Katapazi, Chise, Machenje, Siamasimbi, Kafekwa, N’songwe and Dumwa are among the villages that have received assistance from The Butterfly Tree. Areas of Livingstone affected by the floods in January 2009 received medical supplies, blankets and clothing air-freighted to assist the crisis.

Restoration of N'gandu School

Restoration of N’gandu School

2011 saw a substantial amount of construction taking place. A number of community schools, originally built of mud will have permanent structures consisting of classrooms, teachers’ houses, latrines and for some the addition of bore holes. Two of these schools, Matengu and Sillelo are in the Musokotwane Chiefdom, some 80 kilometres from our base at Mukuni. The Special Education unit we have opened is the only one of its kind in a Zambia village. A shelter has been added to The Butterfly Tree maternity clinic for women who have to walk up to 50 kilometres to the nearest clinic to give birth. We were selected by a global corporate as having the best proven record of transparency and as a result received a substation donation.

A great deal of progress has taken place in 2012 with the opening of four new schools, a boarders’ shelter and a Music Centre at Mukuni, the village also received an additional bore hole for to help the population of over 8000. Chuunga community school now has a bore hole and the school will be developed in 2013. The Butterfly Tree in Zambia was honoured to receive a visit from The Princess Royal as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Commonwealth visits and delighted to have been short listed for the UK Travel Mole’s Web Awards as Best Responsible Tourism Site.

Chuunga Community School

Chuunga Community School welcomes a new bore hole

2013 saw our work reaching out to a fourth Chiefdom adding much needed boreholes to Kauwe and Muchambila Basic Schools. A new 1×2 classroom block has been added at Mukuni Basic and latrines at Mukuni Health Centre and Kamwi Basic School. River Basic School has had a Special Education Unit added and a further one is being constructed at Katapazi. A mother’s shelter has been constructed at Mambova clinic and hundreds of mosquito nets have been distributed in Sikute Chiefdom. In July an entire new health centre at Mahalulu, complete with a maternity clinic, women’s shelter, bore hole, 3 staff houses and latrines will be completed.

A new initiative to create a sustainable income-generating enterprise for Mukuni schools leavers is being developed.

2014 saw a considerable amount of improvements to schools, which included a special education unit at Simango, further development at Muchambila and the addition of a borehole, classroom restoration, latrine  and an extra teacher’s house for Nampuyani. These three schools are in The Nyawe Chiefdom while Simango is in Musokotwane. Seven community houses were built for widows and orphans and a safe new malaria prevention programme was introduced to Zambia by The Butterfly Tree.

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Muchambila Community School

2015 – a considerable number of projects took place, these including the expansion of Mukuni, N’gandu, Kamwi, Singwamba, Kauwe, Kasiya and Muchambile Schools. A further three bore holes were added to Bunsanga, Sinsumuku and Siachikubu schools, and a several community houses were built. Nationwide the new malaria  prevention project was launched in July and the first distribution of products started in November in the Mukuni and Sekute Chiefdom.

2016 – a new clinic has been completed at Mambova in the Sekute Chiefdom. School development took place at N’gandu, Sinsimuku and River View. Four boreholes for schools were installed at River View, Mayala, Nguba and Kazungula Boarding School.

2017 – the year has kicked off with the restoration of Mukuni Health Centre, a new school for Bunsanga, Singwamba and Kauwe, and expansion for River View School.

RIVER VIEW CLASSROOM BLOCK – OPENED IN 2017

NEW SCHOOL FOR BUNSANGA CHILDREN – NYAWA CHIEFDOM 2018

2018 – our best year for the amount of projects undertaken. New classroom blocks for Chaba and Kawewa and a science laboratroy for Nyawa secondary school. A new health centre with maternity unit and mother’s shelter for Sikaunzwe and six boreholes were drilled for schools and communities. 15 students were sponsored to go to college and university.

MATERNITY WARD AND MOTHER’S SHELTER – SIMONGA VILLAGE, SEKUTE CHIEFDOM

2019 – this year surpassed any previous year being the first time we have ever dealt with emergency relief due to a sever drought. Some 10,000 households were provided with maize and eight boreholes were drilled to help with water shortages. boarding shelters were added to Mukuni and River View Schools and classroom blocks were constructed at River View and Kawewa Schools. Advnced malaria prevention programme was extended to Nyawa Chiefdom. A new health post and staff house for Bunsanga and a maternity ward and mother’s shelter were added to Simonga health facility.

Way forward for Charity

Our vision is to improve the lives of people, most especially orphans, living in rural communities decimated by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and to help the global fight against malaria. By going into the heart of these villages The Butterfly Tree has uncovered the real needs of these vulnerable people and believes that these people are ready to move forward.

Chief Mukuni states that ‘education is the key’. We aim to support more rural schools and to ensure that all the orphans and marginalised children receive an education. The Butterfly Tree intends to build more health clinics, provide additional bore holes for remote villages, and continue vital malaria prevention and the HIV and AIDS prevention programmes.

Jane dedicates all her free time to helping these humble people. She is also a speaker on Travel Philanthropy, Responsible Tourism and Corporate Social Responsibility. In 2007 she was invited to speak at both the Global Luxury Forum and the World Travel Market, and in 2008 held a seminar at the European Travel Distribution Summit. The charity was the Summit’s official charity for 2008 and 2009. Jane also talks to local school, clubs and organisations spreading awareness of the plight of these vulnerable people. She regularly visit the projects, has a wonderful team of volunteers on the NGO committee in Zambia and ten female representatives to oversee the welfare of the orphans. The Butterfly Tree has a global following of donors, fundraisers and volunteers, particularly in the UK, Canada and the USA, and as far a field as Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii.

Jane Kaye-Bailey with the girls who inspired the founding of The Butterfly Tree

JANE WITH THE GIRLS WHO INSPIRED THE FOUNDING OF THE CHARITY

In 2014 Jane introduced a new malaria prevention initiative to Zambia. This was approved and certified by the Zambia Ministry of Health and Malaria Control Centre and distribution started in 2015. The Butterfly Tree is the first charity in the world to use these safe products, which are proving to be highly effective in reducing the numbers of malaria cases.

Founder Jane Kaye Bailey lanuches the new malaria prevention project

LAUNCH OF THE NEW MALARIA INITIATIVE IN ZAMBIA – 2015

Some of The Butterfly Tree’s Achievements

  • 2007 featured at the Global Luxury Forum and the World Travel Market
  • 2008 The Butterfly Tree was shortlisted to the final five of the Charity Times ‘best new charity of the year
  • 2009-10 the charity raised almost quarter of a million pounds, over 95% was used for grassroot projects
  • 2010 our story was selected to be featured on Facebook. Our most successful year to date – supporting 10 schools and 3 clinics. Launched a charity single ‘Change for the Better’
  • 2011 awarded substantial grant aid to built three new schools, one in Mukuni and two in the Musokotwane Chiefdoms
  • 2011 selected by the Rolls Royce Enthusiasts’ Club to be featured in their 2012 Yearbook and won a free team place to participate in Cyclothon UK at Brands Hatch
  • 2011 development of Mukuni Special Education with teacher exchange programme with Fountaindale School
  • 2011 selected by ENRC Marketing Ag as the charity working in Africa as having the ‘best proven record of transparency’
  • 2011 initiation of a peer-education program for HIV and AIDS prevention at Mukuni Schools
  • 2011-12 built three new schools, 7 teachers’ houses, women’s and boarders’ shelters, two bore holes and sponsored many more orphans
  • 2012 opening of Mandandi, Silelo, Matengu and Malima Basic Schools, new bore hole for Mukuni Village, 30 more orphans being sponsored
  • 2012 addition of a borehole at Chuunga Community School
  • 2012 completion of  a school at Sibbulo and Music Centre at Mukuni
  • 2012 currently under construction are a new clinic at Mahalululu
  • 2012 short listed for the UK Travel Mole Web Awards
  • 2012 chosen to received a visit from HRH Princess Royal
  • 2012 – distribution of hundreds of mosquito nets in Mukuni and Sikute Chiefdoms
  • 2012-13 the charity has now raised in excess of one million pounds
  • 2013 completion of a 1×2 classroom block at Mukuni Basic School
  • 2013 installation of bore holes at Kauwe and Muchambila Basic Schools
  • 2013 completion of a Special Education Unit at River View School
  • 2013 hundreds more mosquito nets distributed in Sikute Chiefdom
  • 2013 completion of an entire health centre at Mahalulu
  • 2013 completion of a women’s shelter at Mambova
  • 2013 Jane Kaye-Bailey interviewed on Sky News headlines for malaria prevention
  • 2014 completion of a special education unit for Simango
  • 2014 advancement of Muchambile Community School
  • 2014 new malaria prevention project
  • 2014 advancement and bore hole for Nampuyani School
  • 2014 seven community houses constructed for widows and orphans
  • 2015 a further number of orphans being sponsored
  • 2015 health post for Muchambile Community
  • 2015 classrooms completed at N’dele School
  • 2015 launch of the new Malaria Prevention Initiative
  • 2015 further funding for malaria and HIV prevention workshops
  • 2015 classrooms and latrines doe Singwamba and Kauwe Schools
  • 2015 two women’s shelters for Kaisya and Singwamba
  • 2015 classrooms, 2 teacher’s houses and latrines for N’gandu School
  • 2015 development at River View School
  • 2015 sustainable school shop for Kamwi School
  • 2015 bore holes for Siachakubi, Bunsanga and Simsimuku Schools
  • 2015 first distribution of the new malaria prevention product
  • 2016 new health centre at Mambova,  3 bore holes
  • 2016 further 6 classrooms and water reticulation system for N’gandu
  • 2016 boarding shelter for Mukuni School
  • 2016 bore holes in schools for River View, Mayala, Nguba and Kazungula Boarding School
  • 2016 school expansion for Sinsimuku
  • 2017 restoration of Mukuni Health Centre
  • 2017 new school for Busanga Community
  • 2017 expansion of River View School
  • 2018 distribution of 800 mosquito nets for malaria prevention
  • 2018 donation of 17 community houses
  • 2018 expansion of Singwamba, Chaba and Kauwe Schools
  • 2018 a new clinic under constructin, including a maternity unit and women’s shelter
  • 2018 two science laboratories for River View and Nyawa Secondary Schools
  • 2018 five boreholes in schools and villages
  • 2018 more orphans being sponsored at schools and colleges
  • 2018 malaria prevention in Nyawa, Moomba and Mukuni Chiefdoms – distribution of mosquito nets, insecticidal coating and larviciding
  • 2018  Jane Kaye-Bailey presented with the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award
  • 2018 runner-up in the AidEx Innovation Challenge for our malaria prevention initiative
  • 2019 completion of Nakawa pre-school
  • 2019 construction of two classroom blocks for River View & Kawewa, Sekute Chiefdom, and a boarding shelter for Mukuni Secondary School & latrines for their pre-school. Two boarding shelters for River View School
  • 2019 development of a new school in Muyunda, Nyawa Chiefdom
  • 2019 construction of a health post and staff house and latrines at Bunsanga, Nyawa Chiefdom
  • 2019 new maternity ward and mother’s shelter for Simonga Health Post, Sekute Chiefdom
  • 2019 eight boreholes and latrines in schools
  • 2019 distribution of emergency food relief to thousands of people suffering from hunger
  • 2019 distribution of mosquito nets in six schools
  • 2020 beekeeping project for 200 women – Muyunda Village
  • 2020 community houses for 20 people – orphans, widows, disabled people and the elderly
  • 2020 further distributions of emergency food relief
  • 2020 Corveca grant award given to The Butterfly Tree’s ‘Seeds for Life’ project
  • 2020 satellite school for River View soon to be completed
  • 2020 Jane Kaye-Bailey selected as a finalist for the Chartered Institute of Marketing Awards for ‘Marketer of the Year’ award.
  • 2021 – distribution malaria prevention interventions, including 1,650 mosquito nets.
  • 2021 – teacher’s houses at Muyunda and Muchambila, two mother’s shelters.
  • 2021 – substantial distribution of texts books to 28 schools, and PPE to schools and clinics
  • 2021 – funding approved for a new health post at Katondo, a food production project for 200 women, classroom block at Chabalanda and Sichifulo, and further education for orphans and vulnerable students.
  • 2021 – winner of the best ‘Orphan Charity’ for the Central Midland Prestige awards.
  • 2022 – installation of four boreholes, completion of Katondo health post, classroom blocks at Kamwi and Mubuyu, two teacher’s houses for Musokotwane high school, support for children with special needs.
  • 2023 – completion of classroom block at Kabuya, Malombe and Musokotwane. New health post for Mabwa and four borehole installation. Community projects for women and disabled, and houses of orphans and vulnerable families.