Zambia is in Sub-Sahara Africa where 265 million people are hungry, many relying on food aid. In the past twelve months The Butterfly Tree has provided bore holes to four schools and two villages in Mukuni now we need to use that water to develop agriculture and for the communities to grow food so that they can become sustainable. I hear sad stories of African Children unable to walk the long distance to school due to lack of food, pupils who are lethargic in class and have actually seen a number of them fall asleep over their desks. I recently met a mother with twins who had walked three miles to the clinic, the infants were suffering from malnutrition, she hadn’t eaten for twenty-four hours having no money to buy a bag of ground maize. They are now receiving aid through our under fives feeding program.

Food for Mukuni - mother & twins no longer suffering from hunger

More feeding programs are needed until these communities can become sustainable, a difficult task with ever increasing costs, floods and elephants destroying crops. The Butterfly Tree is currently providing a feeding program, sponsored by Cunninghams, for over 500 vulnerable and orphaned children at Mukuni Basic School. We have just commenced a second program at Siamasimbi Basic School. Each day the pupils are given a nutritional meal of Nshima (ground maize), meat or dried fish (kapenta) and vegetables.

Feeding programs like this one at Mukuni needed for more schools

We are seeking micro-financing so that groups of widows, schools and communities can grow crops, produce goats and chickens for meat and eggs, fish farming and fruit trees.

The Butterfly Tree provides funds for an under fives’ feeding program, the first to be initiated in Zambia. We provide formula to replace breast milk in mothers who are HIV positive, preventing mother to child transmission and this has also encouraged more women to come forward to be tested. Unfortunately formula is very expensive therefore we are looking into goat rearing to produce milk, mothers who have benefitted from our program are keen to get a sustainable income to provide HIV funding to help others in the same situation.

HIV funding: Two young boys from Kafekwa on the under fives’ feeding program

The Tusolwe Lwangunko HIV/AIDS Support Group Zambia, is run by a group of volunteers providing workshops, voluntary testing and sensitization programs. They rely on support from The Butterfly Tree to provide HIV funding and we have bought them goats to give them a sustainable generating income. I have worked with these people, they do an amazing job, based at Mukuni Health Centre, covering a vast area of the Chiefdom, encouring the communities to be tested and remove the stigmatism, the work is invaluable and we need to be able to expand on this.

HIV funding: HIV positive mother proudly presents her healthy baby

The most devastating is the number of AIDS orphans, over 400 in Mukuni alone and many more in surrounding villages. The only way to overcome the problem is to provide education for the children and teenagers. I believe they are the generation who could make the change. In Zambia the longevity is 34, they need our help to prevent them losing the next generation. By educating the pupils about the dangers of HIV and AIDS they will have a chance. We provide TMEs educational DVDs in each of the schools we operate and have distributed copies all over the nation. To help us educate these children you can, help via our orphan sponsorship scheme, for only £95 per annum (£8 per month).

Of all our programs supporting the HIV projects, education is one of the most essential, without this none of our other projects can be effective. We need to operate in more clinics, spread more awareness and provide more HIV funding to reach out to these rural people.

Milestone for charity: Mukuni and Ng’andu pupils supported by The Butterfly Tree

From Hawaii to Australia our supporters are helping us to make a difference. Individuals, schools, corporates and trusts have supported The Butterfly Tree in our fight against world poverty. Worldeka is a collaborative platform designed to help you connect and create change and I am thrilled to say that we have just won a camcorder for our dynamic profile page on their website. Although Twitter and Facebook are great for social networking, Worldeka is the social network with a conscious bringing together people who are interested in charitable causes. You can hear the Mukuni children singing on Youtube.

Daily I am receiving offers of support from the likes of Kabaso who sell curios from Zambia donating all their profits to the charity, tour operators such as Exquisite Safaris who take philanthropic travelers to visit our projects at Mukuni, schools wishing to raise funds for the African children and individuals who want to sponsor an orphan. All of this means that we can spread our work to other remote communities in Zambia.

Siamasimbi: providing health care supported by the charity

Our website is attracting donors from all over the globe, thanks to the dedicated work of Miranda De Freston of Juggle Frogs donating the website and her time to improve the networking of The Butterfly Tree. We welcome Miranda onto our board of Trustees and Leonnie Mangan who is setting up a program for special needs children at Mukuni Basic School, has joined our team and Mary Luckman and Ann Sutton have volunteered to help with the administration. 

Much more needs to be done and there are many ways you can now help us reach half million pounds. Use everyclick the search engine, every time you click it rasies money for charity and currently you have the chance to win a Fiat 500 while raising money for The Butterfly Tree. Buy Once give Twice the charity auction site where you can add tickets, unwanted gifts or holiday accommodation and donate to the chartiy. Join us on Cleversquirrel and raise money for The Butterfly Tree, without you haivng to give any new money. Buying and selling on ebay for charities, take part in a sporting activity or get involved with one of our projects at Mukuni; anything however small can help us make a difference.

We are delighted that The Butterfly Tree is growing and still receiving funds despite the global crisis, thank you to everyone who has supported us. Zambia like many developing countries has been badly affected by the west’s problems; these rural communites need our charity - help us reach the next milestone!

Homes for Mukuni: a dwelling in Mukuni Village

The Butterfly Tree’s community housing project provides substantial mud huts with a concrete floor for the most vulnerable. Using local builders a construction can be erected for just £400 and can comfortably sleep up to four people. One woman in Mukuni Village told me that when she lies down in her new home she thinks that she must be dreaming. To date we have built over 30 of these houses but need many more . This is the time of year when the grasses are ready for gathering, old roofs can be rethatched to keep the huts dry in the rainy season.

The Butterfly Tree community house

Providing a new home for a widow with young children or an elderly person who has no one to care for them can give them hope and a better chance of surving the cold winter months. A mattress at £20 and a blanket for £10 is an added bonus.

African children are tough. From an early age they have to fetch water, help with the chores and look after their younger siblings. They have no choice of what they eat, their staple diet in countries like Zambia is maize; typical daily meals are porridge made from mealie meal (ground maize) for breakfast, sheema (ground maize resembling unseasoned mash potato) with vegetables for lunch and for supper more sheema, salad and ground nuts, the latter being their main source of protein. Only families who have a good income can afford eggs, chicken or bread; with two thirds of the population living on less than 50 ($1 dollar) a day, these items are a luxury. Too many African children have to suffice on one meal a day, when I first set up the charity one of our initial projects was to provide a daily nutritional meal at Mukuni Basic School to feed vulnerable children.

African children walk long distances to school through bush, crossing elephant paths and rivers. I actually drove to one area where children set off at 4am to get to Mukuni High School for 7pm often having no breakfast until they reach school. For this reason many younger children are unable to be educated until they are old enough to walk several miles a day. Zambian education is something they all love, they are eager to learn and enjoy going to school, it gives them hope and a chance to better their lives and support their families in the future.

African women make loving and caring mothers, and are very protective towards their offsprings. African children are generally well diciplined both at home and at school. They support one another especially in the rural villages, where families are extended to accommodate the numerous orphans of AIDS. It is heartbreaking for mothers having to cope with so many illnesses and diseases: malaria, HIV/AIDS, aliments that cannot be cured and no money to send their children for treatment. The Butterfly Tree funds operations, medication and physiotherapy for children at Mukuni Health Centre.

Despite the terrible hardships African children have to endure they can always manage to smile. Sponsor an orphan and make a difference to the life of  these aids children.

Mukabalenga was one of the first orphans in Zambia to be on The Butterfly Tree orphan sponsorship program and writes the following letter to her sponsor:

“It’s really beyond human understanding for me to have this opportunity of writing this letter to you, hope and trust all is well with you, as for me not so bad. I really appreciate your support, I don’t how I can express my appreciation. You are playing an important role in my life such as that I cannot think of my dead parents. I don’t have much to say only words of thanks dwelling in my heart.” 

Mukabalenga Siachanane at Mukuni Basic School

By paying for the orphans’ schooling, which covers school and exam fees, books, uniforms, shoes and school bag someone in the villages will accommodate them. This way the orphans do not have to be sent to the orphanages in Livingstone. Often it pushes the guardians further below the poverty line but at least the orphans are able to remain at the school with their friends, the teachers are very generous some of them having as many as five orphans living with them. Presley Mulenga, Head Teacher at Mukuni Basic School has five of his own chilren plus seven orphans living with he and his wife in his two-bedroomed house. The Butterfly Tree offers a daily feeding program to orphans in Zambia, sponsored by Cunninghams, to over 500 vulnerable children providing them a nutritional meal in addition to their morning porridge.

It costs only £95 ($150) to sponsor orphans in Zambia, alternatively £8 per month. I believe that every child has a right to education. Many more like Mukabalanga urgently need your help. To find out more visit our orphan sponsorship page. See the orphans singing with the choir on Youtube.

Katapazi is a remote village in the Mukuni Chiefdom, over thirty miles from Livingstone and some twenty miles off the Lusaka Road travelling through bush using dirt tracks. The school and clinic has a catchemnt of 5400 people and has very little help from the outside world. When I first visited Katapazi in February 2008 I discovered that they had no electricity and one bore hole for the community and school to share. Through Just a Drop and W Foundation we have added a bore hole solely for the school, which gives them an opportunity to grow food for their feeding program.

Katapazi: Basic School pupils                          Elizabeth, health centre midwife

Now with a grant form Jersey Overseas Aid we have commenced building a 1×2 classroom block, enabling the school to upgrade to grades eight and nine as there is a high drop out rate after grade seven. The children have to walk several miles to school most of them without shoes. We will also include desks and chairs in addition to four pit-latrine toilets for the pupils and staff.

The funding will include and extention and improvements to the clinic, run by a midwife and her community-trained helpers. There is no male ward and the nearest hospital at Zimba is a thirty mile walk from Katapazi, resulting in unnessary deaths. Solar panels, a fridge and equipment will also be provided. The communty’s contribution to the project is making bricks, providing building materials and labour and The Butterfly Tree will train them in sustainability, HIVand AIDS in Zambia awareness, water and community projects.

Katapazi: Basic School choir                                  Basic School football team

Katapazi like Mukuni is an extremely poor village and has a large number of orphans. If you would like to sponsor an orphan it is £95 per annum or £8 per month. Visit Youtube and see the Katapazi choir singing and the boys playing football with bare feet using a ‘bag and string’ football.

The tourist industry has a huge market in developing countries and must be prepared to give something back to the communities they are operating in. Besides providing jobs for local people, safe clean water and medical care is also extremely important. Many community bore holes have been drained as a result of golf courses being watered! Over sixty per cent of hoteliers worldwide do not participate is social corporate initiatives. The Butterfly Tree has partnered with Sun International Zambia where their community programs support orphanges, a hospice and sustainable businesses for vulnerable people.

Philanthropic Travel: Mukuni Pre-school funded by a tourist

Zambia’s tourism is rapidly developing, Livingstone is the capitol of tourism and  The Butterfly Tree is working with tour operators such as Exquisite Safaris, pioneers in philanthropic travel and local lodges such as Stanley Safari Lodge who through their clients raise funds for Mukuni Basic School. If you are a tour operator or hotelier working in the area ensure that you are helping the community and if you are visiting the Victoria Falls spare a couple of hours to go to Mukuni Village and see a cultural way of life, for many it is the highlight of their entire trip. Giving something back is both rewarding and beneficial to those in need, join our cause to reduce world poverty by making a donation.

The Butterfly Tree is currently supporting six schools in the Mukuni Chiefdom but we need more classrooms to upgrade these schools so that the children do not have to spend too many hours of their day walking. We are currently raising funds for a Science block at Mukuni to complete our high school project. Ngandu has been able to upgrade to grades 8 and 9 as a result of the charity renovating an old classroom, last month we have commenced develoment at Katapazi school. 

 Mukuni Education  classroom in need of restoration

Now we needs funds for Kamwi and Siamasimbi two remote schools that receive no other support from the outside world. Siamasimbi becomes inaccessable during the rainy season therefore is is imperative to develop the school. We insist on community participation by asking the villages to make bricks, provide river sand and fetch water; the government provides the teachers therefore we also need to source funds for teachers’ houses.

Education is the key to developing these rural schools, building classrooms, providing safe, clean water, feeding programs and sponsoring an orphan gives the vulnerable children a chance in life.

The Butterfly Tree supports Africa Malaria programs by providing malaria testing kits for Mukuni Health Centre and Katapazi Health Centre. Despite the Zambian government’s efforts there is always a shortfall. By topping up this vital supply of malaria testing kits more lives can be saved. Pregant women, babies and HIV/AIDS sufferers are particularly vulnerable. My first involvement at Mukuni back in March 2006 was to see a woman recovering from malaria as a result of our support. Zambia has the most deadly and most common form of malaria - Plasmodium falciparum, treatment is available once diagnosis has been obtained. 

World Malaria Day supports young Mukuni boy vulnerable to malaria

For World Malaria Day The Butterfly Tree is making an appeal on Touch Radio, Twitter and Facebook to ask everyone to donate just £1 to purchase a malaria testing kit. Your donation could save somone’s life.

 Africa malaria: A baby recovering from Malaria at Mukuni Health Centre

Zambia has a population of less than 12 million people and yet there were 4.7 million cases of malaria reported in 2006. Malaria in Africa is the biggest killer and 75% of people worldwide who die as a result of malaria are children under the age of five mostly in sub-Sahara Africa. The latest report from WHO announced today states that Zambia has achieved a major reduction in malaria mortality by 66% and will be promoted for other countries to follow.

While there are four types of parasites that can cause malaria in humans, Plasmodium falciparum is by far the most deadly and common, particularly in Zambia. Once a person is bitten by a P. falciparum-carrying mosquito, the parasite grows, multiplies, and undergoes a series of complex life cycle changes that allow it to evade the immune system and infect the liver and red blood cells. Malaria disease caused by P. falciparum may result in death within hours or a few days of infection especially in those with low immunity such as children, pregnant women, people with AIDS (not necessarily HIV carriers), and travelers from areas with little or no malaria. Malaria can also result in miscarriage in pregnant women, low birth-weight infants, developmental disabilities, and other complications.

Africa Malaria Prevention

Team preparing to spray every mud hut in Mukuni - October 2008

The Zambian government has a strategy in place to control malaria and aimed to ensure that at least 80% sleep under Insecticide-treated nets by the end of 2008. They are doing a tremendous job but working in African remote villages I often learn that at least three children have to fit under one net. The other problem is that there are never enough testing kits, early diagnosis is crucial, each time I visit Mukuni Health Centre their supply has depleted. The Butterfly Tree raises awareness and funds to assist this vital progam by providing malaria testing kits and mosquito nets. Saga Charitable Trust have given generously to our efforts. World Malaria Day is April 25th please donate a £1 and save someone’s life and help the Africa Malaria prevention and treatment efforts.

Another family who I took to Mukuni during the same month gave a donation to the health centre, funded a bore hole, sponsor five orphans and offering on going support to the charity. All the visitors to Mukuni are touched by the people and their enduring hardships and are endeared to see that they still manage to smile. The importance of giving back to a community is invaluable, sitting round the pool of a five star hotel or playing on a golf course gives employment to local people but donating a bore hole gives their families safe clean water, a chance to improve their health, grow vegetables and gives them a chance to become sustainable.

In March we had great fun distributing the 2000 t-shirts and shorts donated by a group of tourists, through Nakker International, who visited Mukuni earlier in the year.

New T-shirts for Mukuni children

It is a mutual benefit for both the traveller and the people in these developing countries. Anyone visiting the Victoria Falls can visit Mukuni Village and see The Buttefly Tree at work, many have said it was the highlight of their travels to Southern Africa. Philanthropic travel can make a difference to someone’s life, through our orphan sponsorship program you can make a difference to their entire community.

Lillian Mwandila has lost both her parents and is eleven years old. She lives with her grandmother and four other orphans in a tiny mud hut in the middle of Mukuni Village. She was on our orphan sponsorship list awaiting a donor along with 59 orphans who I met last month. Now she has been offered an amazing opportunity thanks to Paul who will shortly be visiting Zambia, to not only obtain a full education at Mukuni but the rare opportunity to go on to University. Why was Lillian selected from such a long list when they are all vulnerable? The Butterfly Tree team in Zambia spent two days talking to teachers, visiting homes and scrutinising the orphans before they made their selection. Lillian proved to be the most needy with a clever mind, someone who hopefully will prosper from this wonderful offer and gain knowledge to assist her community in the future.

Lillian Mwandila from Mukuni Village

My new donor didn’t stop there after further conversations Paul wanted to fund five community houses, one of which I suggested went to Lillian’s family and he also offered extra funds for the other orphans living with her. After talking about the shortage of food and our successful feeding program at Mukuni Paul has also offered to start one at Siamasimbi School. Overnight Paul realised the importance of philanthropic travel, giving something back to the community he is visiting.

In the midst of all our doom and gloom due to the global crisis, do we stop and think just how much all the developing countries are suffering? Now one man’s kindness has given a boost to the charity funds and hope for a young Zambian girl. You too can get involved with our orphan sponsorship program and help Zambian children like Lillian.

This is what happens in Mukuni and many areas that have been affected by HIV and Aids in Zambia. People are so poor that a great number only eat one meal a day, comprising of ground maize, vegetables and ground nuts. Chicken, bread, rice, eggs and milk are all luxuries. To help overcome this problem The Butterfly Tree provides a daily feeding program for Mukuni schools sponsored by Cunninghams. Over 500 children receive a daily nutritional meal, vital for the growth and development of any child.

Sweets a rare treat for Mukuni children

Now we need sponsors for the other schools in the Mukuni Chiefdom: Kamwi, Ngandu, Siamasimbi and Katapazi. Not only are the school children hungry, during my last visit I met a young woman from Machenje Village, she had brought her twins to Mukuni Health Centre to be weighed having walked the three miles from her home. The infants were fourteen months old, both suffering from malnutrition, the mother had no milk to feed her babies. She told me she hadn’t eaten since the day before.

The Butterfly Tree funds an under fives feeding program to replace breast milk in mothers who are HIV positive, transmission of the disease is then prevented. Unfortuantely formula in Zambia is very costly therefore we are introducing goats milk, a high source of nutrition and a way of providing a sustainable income to the milk produces. Women who have benefited from the program have voluntered to help with the running of this. These feeding programs are essential for the develpoment of children who are the future of Zambia.

I took Doug to the morning clinics at Mukuni Health Centre, run by Mr. Mwewa, the clinical officer and Mrs Mukuni the midwife. From a medical experience he was fasinated but equally appalled by the lack of facilities, equipment and medicines. In fifty years in medicine, specialising in gynaecology and obstetrics, he had never seen cases of malaria, leprosy, TB in HIV positve women, severe pre-ecampsia or juvenile cataract.

Chaton Siloka awaiting an operation at Mukuni Health Centre

Doug offered to help with diagnosis and treatment. Two boys who had been suffering from ailments for several years; one had continual urinary infections and the other an enlarged spleen, neither could not be treated in hospital due to lack funds. They had been unable to attend school for much of the year and suffered pain and discomfort. Another boy, Martin Siloka had accidently been hit by a small stone, resulting in loss of sight in one eye as a a cataract had formed. The Butterfly Tree is funding treatment for these three children.

I have set up a program to fund four children a month who need hospital treatment. Although Mukuni Health Centre has some excellent staff it has not got the facilities to operate or treat certain cases. Idrin Ghani who The Butterfly Tree has been funding since last October had her final operation last month and has recovered from the osteomylitis that could have taken her life.

We all complain about our medical care, in the UK it is a free service and we have very good facilites; these rural people cannot evern afford the transport to take them to hospital, where they have to pay for their medication and often the operation as well. Our Gallery shows photos of the Mukuni Health Centre.

This stagnant water is used for drinking and washing

Earlier this month we were able to provide four new bore holes for the Mukuni Cheifdom. We are working with two other water charites, Just a Drop and W Charitable Foundation who have donated three of the bore holes. WCF are funding London’s University’s SOAS to research water problems in Africa and we are delighted that they have chose The Butterfly Tree for some of their field work studies.

Mukuni, Siamasimbi and Katapazi schools will all benefit. Previously they had to share a well with the community, which depletes the supply and in some cases the water is only available for a few hours a day. Not only is there insufficient water for drinking but also for washing and sanitation. The school will now be able to grow their own vegetables reducing hunger amongst the pupils and making them more sustainable.

The fourth is from a very generous family from the US who I met in Zambia last June. The village of Kafekwa and their neighbours had to rely on river water, highly contaminated, diarrhoa is a common ailment amongst these people. It is a fertile growing area, the income comes from farming and now with the addition of the new well and pump more food can be grown.  

New bore hole and pump for Kafekwa Village

We insist that the communities receiving our donated bore holes have their own water committee, must maintain the hand pumps and teach the people basic hygiene.

Our efforts have much improved the health facilities at the Mukuni Health Centre though there are many patients who are referred to Livingstone hospital and cannot afford the transport. We have started a new program to assist four children a month who need hospital care. Idrin Gani had ostemyelitis when she was just two years old; leaving her limping and disabled. Nine years later the infection flared up again and when I found her the leg was covered in sores. Since October 2008 we have provided funds for an operation in Lusaka, weeks of treatment and physiotherapy. Now Idrin is back home in Chise happily enjoying school and life with her family.

 
Jane with Idrin and her mother                           Bore hole and pump for Siamasimbi School

The Butterfly Tree received donations amounting to £7000 in memory of my late husband Lawrence. His favourite project was the community houses for the elderly and vulnerable; these funds have been used to built six homes as well as purchasing beds for the maternity clinic and the restoration of a classroom at Ngandu School. The school has been able to upgrade to grades eight and nine, particularly beneficial for children who previously had to walk long distances to Mukuni.

  
Community House in Mukuni Village                    International Women’s Day celebrations

Tourists from the US have generously donated 2000 t-shirts and shorts through The Butterfly Tree for the children of the Mukuni Cheifdom. We are providing sewing machines and materials for the orphans to make school uniforms, enabling the school to be more sustainable. It was heartbreaking to see so many new orphans; sixty more children from the Mukuni school are desperately seeking sponsors to pay for their education. We are currently supporting over 150 orphans, working to provide them with a future and teaching them the dangers of HIV/AIDS, how to avoid getting pregnant and health and hygiene. Please continue this vital funding for the orphan sponsorship program ,your help is greatly appreciated by both the charity and the orphans. We are currently raising funds for a Science lab at Mukuni High School to complete our project, until this is build the pupils have to sit costly external examinations - any contritbutions would be most welcome!

On the 8th March I hosted a day at Mukuni Village to celebrate International Women’s Day. Twelve groups came from all the surrounding villages walking some walking for over two hours; lunch and drinks were provided by us and the women sang songs, performed dances and drama. It was a rare treat for these hard-working people, many of which are widowed and have several orphaned grandchildren to care for. These women have a very tough life, especially when ther husbands have died and in many cases their children as well leaving them to be the sole provider. We are setting up a project for women to produce goat’s milk, a good source of nutrition and can be used to replace breastmilk in HIV positive women. We are currently providing formula but this is very costly and not always available in Zambia. Just another of the problems they have to overcome. Our under five’s feeding program is vital to prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to infant.

I am delighted to say that in three years we have achieved a great deal and much more than any other charity working in the Mukuni Cheifdom. As always a special thank you to everyone who has supported The Butterfly Tree and enabled us to carry out these worthwhile projects. The photos from this trip can be seen in our Gallery.

Warmest regards,

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Woman at Kakekwa drawing water from a stagnant pool

As always there are so many more villages needing help. Next month we will be starting a new project to expand both the clinic and school at Katapazi, a remote village some two hours drive most of it through the bush, from Mukuni. We are being given substantial funding to build four pit-latrine toliets and a new classroom to enable the school to upgrade so that children to not have to walk great distances to obtain a higher grade. At the clinic we are adding a new ward, beds, solar power and a fridge. The community will be freely providing labour to assist with these projects. The clinic is solely run by a midwife who has trained community workers to help her, once these improvements are made the government will offer additional medical staff. There are 5000 people who have access to this rural clinic.

The Butterfly Tree feeding program at Kafekwa Village

Once this is complete we need to source funds for an under five’s feeding program; during my last visit I learnt that many babies were suffering from malnutrition, several of them were critical. For mothers who are HIV positive is is essential that we provide formula to replace breastfeeding. By educating the women at Mukuni an increasing number are coming forward to be tested, more babies can be saved and to date no more infants are suffering from malnutrition. 

When I go out to Zambia and visit Mukuni Village and see how little the people have I feel ashamed when I think about all the material things that I have in my home. I am ‘decluttering’, which is good for the mind and soul and The Butterfly Tree and local charity shops are benefitting. Now you can sell your unwanted items and raise money for The Butterfly Tree. All you have to do is donate the item to the charity, it will then be auctioned and the proceeds with help our projects at Mukuni.

Just a small amount could provide stationary or education for one of the many orphans. As little as £10 can buy 40 tablets of soap. Schools in Zambia receive very little government funding and rely on donations from charities and visitors. We provide edcuational material and sports equipment as well as classrooms, teacher’s houses and toilets. £400 can build a community house for a widow or an elderly person living in appalling conditions or £650 can provide a pit-latrine toilet for a school. £95 can sponsor a childs education for an entire year.

Pit-latrine toilets at Mukuni Village

Lack of hygiene is one of the major problems and infant diarrhoea is common in these remote villages. Having no access to clean, safe water and soap creates many health issues. We are raising funds for the Mukuni Cheifdom to provide more bore holes, improve the sanitation and provide basic hygiene education using workshops and edcuational DVDs.

Annastasia at Mukuni Basic School

When I was in grade six life was very miserable but since I came under The Butterfly Tree sponsorship life is now better. I wish to complete my education and be a better person in future. I like joking with people who encourage me about life and education. In November I will have my final examination. My hope is just based on education and I hope I will be fine at the end of the day.”

You can sponsor an orphan like Annastasia for £95 per annum.

 
Mukabalengu at Mukuni Basic School

Mukabalengu had TB in 2006 and is now fully recovered and enjoying life at Mukuni Basic School.

I sent her to Mukuni Health Centre to have the sores checked out; she had previously been the month before and given ointment which had no effect. The medical officer referred her to Livingstone hospital for an X-ray, where they discovered she had Osteomyelitis, an infection of bone or bone marrow. She was in a great deal of pain, put on a course of antibiotics and had to remain at Mukuni Health Centre until her fever had lessened. The outside temperature was 40 degrees, she and her mother had no money for food and were naturally very frightened; despite this whenever I visited Idrin she always had a smile on her face and never complained. She then had to live in Livingstone for several weeks to receive extensive physiotherapy before being sent to hospital in Lusaka.

Idrin with her mother at Mukuni Health Centre

Several months later having undergone an operation on her good leg to stop it growing longer than the other, Idrin is back in the village of Chise playing with her friends. She had been given a new pair of shoes one of which had to be raised. Had I not found Idrin and sent her to the clinic the infection would have been fatal. Even if she had gone to the clinic without my intervention her family would not have been able to pay for the lodgings, treatment and physiotherapy. The Butterfly Tree has paid for all her costs and the sympathetic doctor learning that she was a needy case performed the operation free of charge.

The Butterfly Tree has also added Aaron and Saikuba, both thirteen years of age, to our orphan sponsorship program, all three children are gaining a good edcuation and the step-father has a much easier task.

Jesse Musowe attending Mukuni Basic School

Jesse with her family in Kamwi Village

Oliver back left with his mother and siblings

One of the most amazing things about working with Zambian people is that despite all their hardships they always manage to smile. Zambia is one of the poorest countries in the world and yet most people are genuinely happy. They have only the basics in life, most live on less than a dollar a day, using these meagre funds to buy food and clothing.  Before the HIV/AIDS pandemic rural communities lived off the land and led a very humble life. Sadly so many people have been lost through this devasting disease, as result most of these villagers are living below the poverty line.

We are making progress in the Mukuni Cheifdom, having advanced the education by building a pre-school and high school at Mukuni, we are supporting over one hundred and fifty orphans in five schools and providing  funds for two health centres besides setting up many more projects for these vulnerable people.  The community are now ready for sustainability.

Although English is Zambia’s national language children first learn to speak the local language called Tokaleya. Once a Zambian Education  is started at pre-school they learn English through songs and a makeshift blackboard, having very few materials or books to learn from. We are hoping to build and fund more pre-schools like the one we have at Mukuni; this is totally funded by Gardiff, a donor of The Butterfly Tree who visited the village while on holiday. The government does not fund pre-schools and with our funding we are able to provide two teachers and a classroom helper, besides supplying all the neccessary books and materials.

Start of Zambian Education: Pre-school children taught under a mango tree in the Mukuni Chiefdom

To help sustain the Mukuni Pre-School The Butterfly Tree bought two sewing machines and fabric so that the teachers could make the school uniforms, they then sell them to provide extra funding for the pre-school’s needs. One of my greatest pleasures walking around Mukuni Village is to see over two hundred young children receiving an education provided by the charity. We aim to build more of these all important classrooms to facilitate young Zambians education, most especially the orphans.

We have partnered with Exquisite Safaris who promote Philanthropic Travel by sending their clients to visit a humanitarian project while on holiday.  Exquisite Safaris donate some of their profits to The Butterfly Tree and our team on the ground meet the guests and give them a private tour of our projects. They get to meet the school children, visit the health centre and are able to interact with the people.

First visit to the Victoria Falls for Cynthia, Angela and Esnat, sponsored by Jane - philanthropic traveler

Feedbacks from these philanthropic travelers has been extremely worthwhile. Without exception everyone is  completely moved and humbled by the sites the experience and many have said the visit was the highlight of their entire tour of Southern Africa. We now have many of them from the UK, Europe and the US offering on going support to the charity with over thirty tourists sponsoring orphans after meeting the children of Mukuni Village. More on Philanthropic Travel.

Photo: Mother and child from Mukuni

Thanks to the generosity of all our donors, old and new, funds have been pouring into the charity this month with many people offering to sponsor an orphan instead of sending Christmas cards. We have been able to build several community houses for the elderly, restore an classroom at Ngandu School and thanks to Just a Drop we now have funding in place to add three bore holes at schools in the Mukuni Chiefdom.

I would like to thank everyone who has helped us to achieve such tremendous success this year. All our volunteers, donors and everyone who has given their time and support generously to assist The Butterfly Tree, giving thousands of people hope and a future. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a healthy and peaceful New Year.

Besides funding the feeding program through our company, Cunninghams, Lawrence loved the ‘housing project’. Many elderly people and widows live in appalling conditions and to be able to provide a new home for someone living in poverty is a very humbling experience. Mukuni Village preserves its tribal traditions by building mud huts, however some of the population are living in open shelters leaving them exposed to the elements, mosquitos and snakes. During this rainy period they have no protection and during the winter months the temperautres at night can drop to zero.

A young disabled wood carver was living in this shelter, which has now been replaced thanks to a donation from donors in Ilkeston. If the homes are substantially built with a conctrete floor, like the ones provided by The Butterfly Tree, they can last for years, only the straw roof needs replacing regularly. It only costs £350 to provide a home for a needy person and can transform someone’s life.

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.

The Butterfly Tree has a number of projects running all of which play a vital role in overcoming this devasting disease. Our under fives feeding program, is the first to be intiated in Zambia. We provide formula to replace breastmilk in mothers who are HIV positive, preventing mother to child transmission and this has also encouraged more women to come forward to be tested.

Young girl from Mukuni

With a grant from Avert we support the Tusole Lwangunko Group who do amazing volunteer work, providing workshops, voluntary testing and sensitization programs. We have also partnered with a charity called TME who supply us with educational DVDS on four HIV/AIDS topics and have distributed them throughout the nation.

The Butterfly Tree believes that the only way to overcome the  pandemic of HIV and AIDS in Zambia is through education. We have four HIV/AIDS programs running in Zambia and your donations will help us to continue these vital programs, alternatively you purchase a 2009 charity calendar for only £4 plus postage.

ORPHAN SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM

UNDER FIVES FEEDING PROGRAM

HIV/AIDS WORKSHOPS

EDUCATIONAL DVDS

Please give your to support to one of these projects The Butterfly Tree is totally committed in helping to prevent the people from loosing the next generation, your generosity could help too!

The calendar has been sponsored by the 12 companies named on each month.

Calendars are £4 - and all money raised goes directly to the cause.

How to order

Calendars can be ordered on line and posted direct to you.  UK postal charges are as follows: 1 calendar -70 pence, 2 or 3 calendars £1.63, 4 or 5 calendars £2.08 International £3.40.  To order the calendar simply complete the form below and we will contact you to confirm your order. Alternatively email jane@thebutterflytree.ogr.uk to arrange payment.

NB. Challenge 2+2 is to stop spam and hackers, please enter 4 in this box.

The Charity Calendar

Josephine Lubasi aged thirteen, living in Mukuni Village, is one of hundreds of orphans who need your help. Education is the most important part of their lives, by offering them a sponsorship not only gives them a chance to overcome their hardships, it gives them hope. Without this these children have nothing. The advantage of living in a rural African village is that there is always someone who will accomodate them, which is far better than having to go into an orphanage. However this puts a great strain on the guardians, pushing them further below the poverty line.

Photo: Sponsor these children from Mukuni Chiefdom

Christmas is soon approaching and the pressure is on to buy expensive food, drink and gifts, to party, to indulge and to overspend. Consider sponsoring an orphan; giving an orphan an education, it has a lasting effect, will make a difference and can completely change a child’s life. More info on: orphan sponsorship

I would like to thank everyone for the thoughtful messages, comforting words and tremendous offers of support to The Butterfly Tree.

The orphan sponsorship has increased to 130. This program is vital to enable the orphans to complete their education. The high school, almost at the end of the second year, is expanding; currently we are rasing funds to add a science laboratory. We have plans to restore another classroom at Ngandu School. I drove to several very remote villages to discover that some children actually leave home at 5am to arrive for classes at Mukuni for 8am - the temperatures reach 40 degrees during October!

 
          New teachers’ house                                    Under-fives’ feeding progam

Two teachers and their families are happlily residing in the new accomodation we have built. The community housing project is increasing, a young disabled wood carver who sleeps in an open shelter, has been given priority for the next house before the start of the rainy season. Many old people cannot even afford the £10 needed to re thatch their roof, having lost their children through AIDS, there is no one to help them. The two projects we are running for HIV/AIDS are continuing to make a difference, many more women are coming forward tested and ones who are HIV positive can receive the formaula to replace breastfeeding through our under five’s feeding program.

 
           Children in Chise Village                       Drinking water for Kafakwa

Once again Saga Charitable Trust, has given us substantial funding to assist the health facilities at Mukuni Clinic. We have started a project to imrove Katapazi Clinic, some 30 miles from Mukuni and the funding has been approved for three further bore holes from Just a Drop. Both Katapazi and Siamasimbi Schools are benefitting from our support, as are some twenty villages in the Mukuni Chiefdom. The website is attracting donors and volunteers from all parts of the globe: two nurses, a special needs teacher and a law graduate have been working at the school and health centre this summer.

Tourists, particularly from the UK and the USA, who have visited Mukuni Village, have boosted our funds offering generous donations after seeing first hand the need and the work of The Butterfly Tree. In Zambia we have support from Sun International, Stanley Safari Lodge, Safpar and SATS tour operator as well as the on going support from Exquisite Safaris who send philanthropic travellers to Mukuni Village. We have received a vast number of donated items from companies and individuals, there are far too many to name. Thank you once again to everyone who has supported The Butterfly Tree in any way - every little helps!

Jane Kaye-Bailey - Charity Founder

Having lost his own wife and children he married a widow with a family of three youngsters. Every morning Davison walked the couple of miles to his garden in Chise Village carrying water from the river to nurture his vegetables. No problem with that, until I learnt where he sold his vegetables! Due to much competition from other local growers there was no guarentee that Davidson would sell his vegetables at the nearby Mukuni market, so twice a week he carried his sixty kilo load, one bag on either side of his shoulders, wearing torn sandals on his feet and walked all the way to Livingstone, a distance in excess of twenty miles earning just £6.50 per load.

Photo: Davison Simalonga, aged 76 from Kamwi, Mukuni Chiefdom

I was horrified even more so when Davison told me that he was born in 1932, a seventy-six year old man, toiling so hard seemed inhumane. I immediately set about easing his burden without trying to change his life. I arranged for a donkey to be bought, to purchase his vegetables for The Butterfly Tree’s feeding program at Mukuni Village and included his children in our orphan sponsorship program.

Davison is now a very happy man, using his donkey to carry water from the river and to transport his vegetables the short distance to Mukuni, where he can be sure of a sale to The Butterfly Tree feeding program.

The risk of disease, river blindness and the fear of crocodiles are all concerns that people living in remote communities in Zambia have to contend with. Now three village schools can benefit from new bore holes thanks to our partners Just a Drop, who are generously donating funds for us to build boreholes at Mukuni, Katapazi and Siamasimbi Schools. No longer will the children have to carry water to school instead they will experience for the first time the taste of safe water in their school grounds.

Photo: Women and children from Chise Village, Mukuni Chiefdom

The Butterfly Tree is now providing support to five schools in the Mukuni Chiefdom and supporting over 120 orphans in education. I will be leaving for Zambia tomorrow and no doubt there will be many more children who have lost their parents since my last trip in June. It is vital to give these children the essentials in life - water, food, health and education. They are the generation who could make a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS. With your support this can happen, if you would like to sponsor a child, provide funds for a feeding program or donate funds for a bore hole, your support will be greatly appreciated. 100% of all donations go directly to the cause.

We desperately need to build more classrooms and teacher’s houses to advance the education in these remote villages. Although we are making good progress in Mukuni Village the teacher’s accomodation is appalling, we are about to complete our third house but at least three more are needed. The Head Teacher has thirteen people living in his two bedroom house, five of them are orphans. With the ever increasing cost of living it pushes these families below the poverty line, which makes the orphan sponsorship program a vital support. As do the feeding programs, which enable the orphans and vulnerable children to receive a daily nutritional meal and helps to lift some of the burden from their guardians.  

 Adolescents like these boys at Mukuni need nutritional meals

By sponsoring an orphan you can give a child hope; by sponsoring a feeding program you can remove the hunger from hundreds of children and by funding a classroom you can give these children the education to overcome their hardships - Get Involved

Photo: Shilla aged 11 years from Mukuni Village

Much of the success is down to two factors: 100% of all donations raised go directly to the cause and all our members both in the UK and at Mukuni are volunteers. I especially wish to thank the Zambian team, all have full time jobs in the village, who give up their free time to administer the projects. Although the majority of the funds are raised in the UK, without the support of The Butterfly Tree in Zambia, we would not be able to accomplish so much.

Young Mukuni boy at The Butterfly Tree pre-school

It is difficult to single out any individuals but the following deserve a mention, Cunninghams for their ongoing support of the feeding program at Mukuni Basic school, Gardiff for continual sponsorship of the pre school, Saga Charitable Trust for their donations to the Mukuni Health Centre, BFSS for their grant to equip the high school, KTCT for the funding of the Mukuni Maternity Clinic, Just a Drop who are funding our bore holes and TME for the HIV/AIDS educational DVDs.

Working with Exquisite Safaris to promote Philanthropic Travel and responsible tourism has brought interest to our work from the US; speaking at the Global Luxury Forum and the World Travel Market in 2007 enabled me enrol more members of the tourist industry in the fight against world poverty.

However much more needs to be done, we need to increase our orphan sponsorship program, not just at Mukuni but other rural schools, unfortunately the stastistics of HIV/AIDS are not declining with 710,000 children orphaned through this devastating disease, we are seeking more of you to sponsor a child. We need funding for additional classrooms, teachers’ houses and feeding programs for remote schools, safe water and community housing besides further improving the facilties at Mukuni Health Centre and other rural clinics.

Finally a special thank you to Juggle Frogs for donating and hosting this inspiring website.

The Butterfly Tree has been shortlisted for the Best New Charity, awarded to an organisation that has made a demonstrable impact since its foundation, achieved both awareness of itself and its cause, and set the foundations of excellent management and accountability in place since 1st January 2006.

Jane Kaye-Bailey Founder & Chairman of The Butterfly Tree

I would like to thank all the team members both here and especially in Mukuni Village for their hard work, dedication and commitment. We are all volunteers enabling 100% of all donations to go directly to the cause.

The Charity Times Awards winner will be announced at the awards ceremony held on 18 September 2008 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.

During my last trip to Zambia I was lucky enough to experience the annual Sports Events for the Mukuni Chiefdom. Knowing how much is spent on sport in the west it is hard to believe that only four out of the twelve schools in the chiefdom turned up. The reason being that most of the schools could not afford the £25 affiliation fee and out of the four that attended The Butterfly Tree paid for Mukuni and Ngandu School who had failed to raise the funds. 

Photo: Mukuni Olympians

Sport is such an important part of a school’s curriculum and when I saw the effort these children had made to hold this event it was a very humbling experience. Despite the charity funding two mini buses and paying for food supplies many pupils still had to walk ten miles to the grounds, camping out on the floor of a classroom. Zanox kindly donated over 30 footballs which I distributed amongst the local teams. When I visit these remote villages of the Mukuni chiefdom and see the school teams using ‘bag and string’ footballs I am horrified to think of how much is spent on football in the UK. No expensive Nike or Addidas football boots; just bare feet, a patch of dirt and a couple of stakes at each end of the pitch.

With your funds we can provide improved sporting facilities, hard-wearing footballs and netballs complete with HIV/AIDS and malaria awareness logos for as little as £8.

President Mwanawasa (photo courtesy of Daylife)

I am not the only person to be touched by these warm and gently people, who always manage to have a smile on their face and a welcome greeting for visitors, despite living in such extreme poverty. Every week now I am being contacted by tourists who have visited Mukuni and want to give something back, either in the form of a donation, getting involved with a project or sponsoring an orphan. The Butterfly Tree is fortunate to have this website, donated by Juggle Frogs, which has drawn an audience from many parts of the globe and enabled these philanthropic travellers to track us down.

Along with our partner Exquisite Safaris, who have promoted the charity in the US, we encourage tourists to take time out and visit our projects at Mukuni. Many of these trips have resulted in generous donations of gifts, books, stationary and clothing for the orphans. Although going on safari is an exhilarating and memorable experience, travellers who have been to Mukuni say it is a touching and unforgetable highlight of their trip.

 
Alex from UK volunteering at Mukuni / Kelly from US donated clothes to orphans

In addition to these philanthropic travellers we have had a number of volunteers, who have generously donated their time and skills to work at Mukuni. Funding all their own expenses, they have helped at the Mukuni Schools and Mukuni Health Centre passing on their invaluable experience in both health and education.

Any visitors to Mukuni who are unsure about giving a donation to a local community member can donate securely through The Butterfly Tree. We will give 100% to the cause and no administration fees will be deducted. If you are interested in volunteering at the Mukuni school or Mukuni Health Centre please contact jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

“Informing you that I am a girl, aged 15 years and was born on the 18th April 1993. My father died when I was one year and six months old and my mother died when I was three years old. Am a person who likes going to school and I like playing netball, singing and dancing. I live in Zambia’s Southern Province in Mukuni Village. At Mukuni I live with my grandmother. At school I am doing grade nine and my hobby is singing gospel music.

When I was in grade six life was very miserable but since I came under The Butterfly Tree sponsorship life is now better. I wish to complete my education and be a better person in future. I like joking with people who encourage me about life and education. In November I will have my final examination. My hope is just based on education and I hope I will be fine at the end of the day.”

Sponsored orphan: Annastasia with Victor Simango

These children at Mukuni and other rural villages need an education to overcome the hardships they have to endure. We desperately need your help to give these children a chance. To sponsor a child it costs only £85 (US$170) a year or £7.50 (US$15) per month. If you would care to sponsor a child like Annastasia please email The Butterfly Tree now: jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

In January 2007, at the age of 20, Olbert was sponsored by The Butterfly Tree and was allowed to live in one of the shelters we built for pupils who live long distances from the school. They were having to sleep on the ground with only a thin blanket each. During the day he was entitled to The Butterfly Tree’s feeding program and was expected to provide supper for himself and his younger cousin. However the only way he could make money to buy food was by selling curios; sadly his grades began to fall. We believe that Olbert is a survivor and has great potential so in addition we bought him two matresses, warm blankets and have agreed to provide a monthly income to cover his expenses.

Photo: Olbert in Mukuni Village, on the right, with mattress

Photo: Kevin, aged 8 from Mukuni Village

This set the motions in place for the founder to immediately start a feeding program for under five’s at Mukuni Health Centre. The charity is also providing a feeding program at Mukuni Basic School for vulnerable children, of which Kevin is a participant.

During my last two trips to Zambia I visited Katapazi village, a remote community in the Mukuni Chiefdom, some 48 kilometers from Livingstone, much of it driving through the bush. The community depend on gardening, fishing and small scale farming, which has suffered badly due to the January floods. They have only one bore hole; the school children have to fetch water and carry it to school. The Katapazi clinic, run by a dedicated midwife with the few staff she has trained from the community, is totally understaffed and lacking in equipment and medical supplies. The catchment population is over 5000 and many people have to walk long distances, consequently most women deliver their babies at home because it is too far to get to the clinic.

Medical staff and community members at Katapazi clinic

When I drove to the clinic in June to take them some medical supplies I was shocked when the midwife told me that 135 babies were underweight, 9 of them critical. Knowing how successful our feeding program is at Mukuni Village I am seeking a sponsor to start one at Katapazi, in the meantime we have supplied formulae to help the crisis. The clinic is in dire need of improvement and requires an extention; there are only two wards with four beds; the staff do outreach visits four times a month using bicycles. Immunizations, antenatal and voluntary councelling and testing for HIV are all done at the clinic, which is an invaluable facility for these vulnerable people.

Photo: Victor in Mukuni Village