http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:40:09 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Africans are born with rhythm, so it is not surprising to come across many talented people during my trips to Mukuni; song and dance play an influential role in their culture. The forthcoming Lwindii Ceremony, the 'Cutlural Feast of the Spray Ceremony of the Victoria Falls' scheduled for the 2nd August. This is a ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/charity-music/ In a recent program the Big Give set up a scheme in schools to inspire the next generation of philanthropers, using the Dragon School in Oxford as a pilot. After researching 6000 charities on the site three were selectecd as the finalists. This is the email we received from the school ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/philanthropy-in-schools/ Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and one of the most stunning sites in Africa. Mukuni Village is just seven kilometres from this World Heritage site, a place of worship for the local Leya people. The forthcoming Lwindii ceremony is celebrated by these indiginous people who ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/mukuni-village-tourists/ June, the start of the British summer. A time when we embrace the warm sunshine, blue skies, light evenings and hope for rain-free days. A time for planting out the garden, barbecues and Pimms. During this period many of us will be pumping thousands of litres of water onto our precious gardens, wash our cars and fill our ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/water-is-life/ 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 ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/volunteers-at-mukuni/ 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 ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/feeding-programs-at-mukuni/ 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 ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/fundraising-for-mukuni/ World Malaria Day marks the unified commemoration of the global effort to provide effective control of malaria throughout the world. Africa malaria is the biggest killer of man, with 75% of deaths occuring in children under the age of five in Sub-Sahara Africa. There are almost one million new cases ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/world-malaria-day-2010/ Besides producing charity songs The Butterfly Tree is also supporting enviromental issues and recognising World Earth Day. Mother nature has played havoc with our earth in the past few months so we have to protect the wonderful world we live in. Global warming is effecting the entire planet, each and everyone of ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/world-earth-day/ The three main political parties, in preparation for the forthcoming election, have put the NHS as one of their main priorities. Despite its many shortfalls the NHS provides a high standard of medical care from GP level to critical illnesses; without it much of our population would be struggling to find ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/health-support-for-zambia/ Of all the programs we run in Zambia, malaria has to be one of the most essential. Africa malaria is the biggest killer of man, 75% of deaths occur in children under the age of five in Sub-Sahara Africa. Although it cannot be cured it can be easily treated if caught ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/africa-malaria-2010/ It is now four years since I started working at Mukuni Village and three years since the founding of The Butterfly Tree. What began as a project to help a few orphans and to raise funds to build a high school at Mukuni has surpassed any expectations I may have had. Little did I ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/change-for-the-better/ My recent trip to Zambia - a combination of sorrow, adventure, excitement and joy. With a number of new projects to initiate and plans to oversee the existing programs, I was in for a hectic three weeks. Unfortunately unexpected heavy rains hampered our schedule during the first week, many outreach ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/newsletter-march-2010/ According to the World Health Organization half of the world’s population are at risk of malaria. While there are four parasites that can cause malaria in humans, Plasmodium falciparum is by far the most deadly and common, this strain is prevelant in Zambia. Malaria kills one child every 40 seconds. Malaria disease ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/malaria/ 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 ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/charity-funding-for-mukuni/ 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 ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/hivaids-in-zambia-project/ Life in Zambia is tough for a school child, especially if you an orphan and have little financial support to pursue your education. Life is is even tougher if you are a child with physical or mental disabilities. The Butterfly Tree has been working on a number of ways that ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/special-education-for-mukuni/ The British and Foreign School Society gave us a grant in 2007 to provide materials and equipment for the new high school we had built at Mukuni, without this we would not have been able to open. This grant also included funds to buy stationery and equipment for Mukuni, Ngandu and Kamwi Basic Schools ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/improving-education-in-mukuni/ Seeing the heartbreaking pictures coming out of Haiti confirms the importance of international aid work and the need for our support in developing countries. Life is a struggle on a daily basis but when something as catastrophic as an earthquake hits your community where do you turn for help? These ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/development-for-kamwi/ Due to lack of funds the pre-school was at risk of closure. The Butterfly Tree has built a new, fully equipped classroom with outdoor play area and also funds two pre-school teachers’ and a helper’s salaries. Pre-schools do not receive government backing. The teachers make the school uniforms and use ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/mukuni-pre-school-projects/ Kamwi, a remote school in the Mukuni Chiefdom, goes up to grade 5. The school needs to be upgraded as the children have to walk great distances to get to Mukuni Basic School, crossing elephant paths on the way. The younger children are frightened and run to school becoming too ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/kamwi-school-upgrade/ The Butterfly Tree has four projects underway to help the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We are funding voluntary testing programs; sponsoring HIV/AIDS orphans, a feeding program to help prevent mother to child transmission, the first to be initiated in Zambia. Working with TME, who provide educational DVDs, The Butterfly Tree is distributing ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/mukuni-hiv-aids-projects/ The Butterfly Tree sanitation project has provided seventeen pit-latrine toilets for Mukuni Village. Thirteen are for the schools and teachers and four for the community. Lack of sanitation is these rural communities causes a number of health problems. We are also working with TME to provide educational DVDs on Health ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/mukuni-sanitation/ The Butterfly Tree is funding a project for widows to have a sustainable income. By providing the materials the woman can make the school uniforms, clothing, basket ware and jewellery to sell in the curios centre. Many women are left with several children to support and have no way of ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2010/mukuni-widows-project/ They may not receive gifts on Christmas Day at Mukuni but thanks to everyone around the globe who has supported The Butterfly Tree we are able to offer them the essentials in life - WATER, FOOD, HEALTH and EDUCATION. We have had great success with our fundraising efforts this year. During the past few months we ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/christmas-2009-newsletter/ How many of you find it a struggle to know what to buy someone for Christmas, especially someone who appears to have everything? So how about giving something that will benefit someone who has nothing! The children of Mukuni don't receive Christmas presents, they don't know about Father Christmas or the celebrations of the ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/presents-for-mukuni/   Over 33 million people are infected with HIV, over 2 million are children and millions more are affected by this devasting virus. In the UK alone there are 80,000 reported cases and the number increases every year.    This year's World Aids Day theme is 'Universal Access and Human Rights'. Today let ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/world-aids-day-3/ The Butterfly Tree calendar is ready to order and can be viewed on this page. This is our third year and already we have had numerous requests to buy them for gifts, offices and home use. The high quaility desk top calendar measures 21cm x 16cm and can be bought for ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/2010-charity-calender/ Finding new ways to raise funds isn't easy, particulary during this economic downturn when money is tight. The Butterfly Tree continues to source new methods in order to reach out to additional rural villages and schools in Zambia. GlobalGiving, who directly support the work of grassroots charities worldwide, have invited us to participate in their Project Challenge 2, which ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/global-giving-challenge/ 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 ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/development-for-katapazi-village/ 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 ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/zambia-independence-day/ 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 ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/malaria-at-mukuni/ 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 ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/october-2009-newsletter/ After working in temperatures reaching 35 degrees my sons, Mike and David built four homes in Mukuni Village for the elderly and widows with orphans. The senior headman selected the most deserving cases. All four houses were given to elderly people living in delapidated conditions and having to look after their ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/new-homes-for-orphans/ With just four days left before my departure to Zambia there are many details to finalise. My sons have achieved an amazing result raising funds to build a home for a widow and orphans receiving enough donations to build three homes. They will physically help with the construction to cut down on ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/trip-to-mukuni/ Unicef's statistics state that there are 143 million orphans worldwide, many of them are AIDS children. In Zambia alone there are 710,000 orphans. Heartbreaking data for children who don't ask to be born. With one in six adults living with the virus, HIV and AIDS in Zambia is a mammouth problem and education ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/aids-children/ With the school holidays under way and the children enjoying their summer break, surprisingly African children actually prefer to be at school. Staying at home in a rural village holds very little appeal. There are no televisions, computer games or toys to occupy them nor theme parks and cinemas to visit; most children do ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/sponsor-an-orphan/ My sons, Mike and David have volunteered to go to Zambia to build homes for Mukuni, but first they have to raise the funds for the materials. They will work with the local builders, in temperatures reaching 35 degrees to provide at least one home for a widow and orphans ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/homes-for-mukuni-2/ Victoria Falls, Zambia is one of the severn natural wonders of the world and one of the most stunning places on earth. Just a few miles from the tourism capitol of Livingstone and a boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe, this breathtaking spectacle occurs. Standing 108 meters high at the height of ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/victoria-falls-zambia/ I am delighted to report that The Butterfly Tree has had an extremely successful year, despite the global crisis. Each year since March 2006 we have been able to reach out to more rural schools and villages. This is due to several factors: the continual sourcing of new funds and ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/charity-annual-report/ When a young girl called Shaila wrote to me this week and told me that she wanted to donate £30 of her birthday money to The Butterfly Tree I was really touched by this thoughtful gesture. The charity receives numerous donations from individuals, tourists, corporate and grants some of them substantial, though none could have been more sincere ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/schools-linked-to-mukuni/ In most western countries children with physical or mental special needs are able to receive an education, African children are less fortunate. Last year the Zambian government provided Mukuni Basic School with a special educational needs teacher and that was all. No materials, no equipment or transportation for children in outreach villages who are ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/special-needs-for-mukuni/ One billion people throughout the world suffer from hunger, a figure which has increased by 100 million because of the global financial crisis, says the United Nations. We are all complaining about the effect the world reccession is having upon us, but do we give a thought as to how badly people are affected ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/food-for-mukuni/ Although The Butterfly Tree is making great progress with a number of projects in the Mukuni Chiefdom, more HIV funding is needed. HIV and AIDS in Zambia is pandemic, one in six adults are living with HIV. Every person has been infected or is effected by this devastating disease. The government ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/hiv-funding/ The Butterfly Tree has achieved a huge milestone. In the three years since we have been working at Mukuni Village the charity has raised over £250,000. Alongside this amazing amount we have sent as much again in donated medical and education supplies, clothing, blankets and equipment. The lives of thousands of people in ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/milestone-for-charity/ Winter in Zambia is between June and August, although the daytime temperatures can reach up to 25 degrees the nights can drop below 4 degrees. For many this is a very difficult time, with no money to repair thatched a roof, no mattress, no blanket nor warm clothes the cold ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/homes-for-mukuni/ Happy, smiling faces, big wide eyes, innocent. This sums up the African children I work with in Zambia. It is refreshing to be with children who are undemanding, unspoilt, who are so poor but somehow manage to be happy. They have so little - no TVs, no computers, no toys ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/african-children/ Losing a parent is heartbreaking for any child; then having to give up your education makes it almost unbearable. This is the case of many orphans in Zambia. In the six Zambian schools supported by The Butterfly Tree there are almost 1000 orphans. To date we are sponsoring 175 children and desperately need more  donors ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/orphans-in-zambia/ I am delighted to announce that The Butterfly Tree is now an aid agency for Jersey Overseas Aid. The Commission funded by the people of Jersey firmly believe that it is their moral duty to care about other people and to help them help themselves.  We are honoured to working with such ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/katapazi-development/ Once again we are delighted that Eye for Travel has chosen The Butterfly Tree as the official charity for the Travel Distribution Summit Europe 2009, the world's biggest event for travel marketing, pricing and technology executives. This is being held on 19th-20th May at the Business Design Centre, London. Helping to reduce world ... http://www.thebutterflytree.org.uk/pages/2009/summits-official-charity/