The Butterfly Tree is sponsoring over 100 orphans. 

“The Butterfly Tree believes that every child has a right to be educated, by sponsoring an orphan you can make this happen.”

It costs as little as £85 per annum to educate an orphan, this covers school and exam fees, books,uniform, school bag and blanket. Due to the high number of orphans in Zambia we are currently seeking sponsors to support this program in the Mukuni chiefdom.

The children having lost either one or both parents are placed with families who already have too many dependents. Some have been orphaned more than twice. However the extended family, common in most Africa countries, prevents the children having to go into orphanages.

The orphans are carefully selected by a committee, made up of teachers, parents and PTA members who select the most ‘critical’ cases, many having dropped out of school. They are immediately reinstated into school once funding is in place. We have ten female volunteers who oversee the welfare of these vulnerable children.

Having lost their parents the most important part of their life is their education. Despite walking great distances, some suffering from hunger these children are dedicated to their school work.

When Obrien Sitali was asked if there was anything else he needed after receiving news of his sponsorship, his reply was ‘only to say thanks’. Not computer games, ipods, or designer clothes just simply an education was all he needed. Having lost his parents and many other members of his family, Obrien lives with his elderly grandmother and has to walk several miles to school but like many of the children his education means a great deal to him.

Photo: Obrien with his grandmother

Jacob Siatubitubi aged 20 has never given up on the chance to be educated. Despite his only living relative being his disabled grandmother, Jacob repeated grade 9 three times due to having no funds to take the exams to go to high school. He took care of the homestead, growing maize and cooking and walking several miles to school each day. Now aged 20 Jacob, grateful for having a sponsor, has passed with high marks and has been offered a chance to go to boarding school in town. When asked if it was difficult having to live with his grandmother he replied ‘no she is my best friend’.

Photo: Jacob with his field of maize.  

Fransisca Munchindu is aged 13 and lives with her sister Concilia aged 10 and their 91 year old grandmother, they have no other relatives and are exceedingly poor. Fransisca could not go back to school in January 2007 due to lack of funds, but now like her sister, the Butterfly Tree has found her a sponsor.  

Photo: Fransisca and Concilia at their home

Brenda Musonda was only 6 years old when she was confirmed HIV positive in 2004. She lives with her grandparents who have lost all three children and now have 15 dependents. Brenda’s sponsor Steph Bateson, a book buyer for Asda, when told that Brenda had HIV, said that she wanted to make a difference to someone’s life and learning of Brenda’s condition, made it even more worthwhile. The Butterfly Tree is also sponsoring Brenda’s brother Philip.  

Photo: Brenda at school

Victor Simango is nineteen years of age and was unlikely to have completed his education without the assisatance of a sponsorship. In October 2007 Victor had to drop out of school as his mother had no spare funds to pay for his education, his father had died. This was devastating for Victor as he only had two years left at school. Now he happily attending grade eleven at the Mukuni High School, one of The Butterfly Tree’s projects.  

Photo: Victor in Mukuni Village

Olbert Kamungondo was born in 1986 and when he was just five months old his mother and all other passengers were killed in a bus accident, where Olbert was the only survivor. His father took his old brother and moved away from the Mukuni chiefdom, leaving Olbert with his grandparents. At a later stage his uncle took him to Kamwi village primary school to start his education. Unfortunately when his uncle remarried Olbert was no longer made welcome, so he then went to live with a teacher at Mukuni Basic School, who looked after Olbert until he completed grade 9, after which he had to fend for himself.

In January 2007, now aged 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

Shilla Mwanakwaba is 11 years old and comes from Mukuni Village, she lost her mother when she was 6 and comes from a large family. She has been sponsored by The Butterfly Tree since December 2006. For the past few years she has looked after by an aunt who also has several younger children to care for. One of our representatives, who check on the welfare of our orphans, believed the Shilla was not receiving proper care with the aunt so is now living with her grandmother in nearby Livingstone town. Shilla, though missing her friends at Mukuni, is being well cared for and her grades at school, have greatly improved.

Photo: Shilla aged 11 years from Mukuni Village