It is hard to imagine after having continual heavy rain, that some countries have no rain for months and indeed years on end. The rainy season in Zambia lasts from October until March. Since March there has not been a drop of rain and it is unlikely that any will fall for another three to four months. By the end of September the temperatures soar to over forty degrees and the earth is totally parched. So how do people survive? The answer is with great difficulty! It is particularly hard for people living in remote communities, especially if there is no bore hole in the vicinity.
Water in Zambia: young children carrying water home to Machenje Village
All of The Butterfly Tree projects are extremely important, though none more vital than water. If we are to advance the health and education facilities we must ensure a supply of safe drinking water. Clinics cannot function without water and children cannot attend school. We are currently building a new school in the Sekute Chiefdom some 100 kilometres from Livingstone; we had to delay the start of the construction as there was no nearby source of water to mix the cement, a bore hole has now been installed. During the rainy season the streams and rivers are brimming with water. Throughout the dry season many of them become empty or stagnant, making the distance in search of water much longer than usual. There are still hundreds of villages in Zambia dependent on river or stream water, many of these are contaminated, some are infested with crocodiles, not only putting children’s health at risk but also their lives.
New bore hole for Chuunga Community School
To date we have added twelve bore holes with Indian hand pumps, ten of these are in schools and two of them have play pumps. Just a Drop, one of our major donors, provided funds for six of these while others have been donated through grants and individuals. Our latest bore hole is thanks to a Canadian couple, Grant and Marilee Gibson, who visited Mukuni Village in March and have since generously raised funds amongst their family and friends to provide a bore hole at Chuunga Community School. We have now expanded our work to two other Chiefdoms in the Kazungula District, reaching out to vulnerable communities that had no access to safe, drinking water. Next time you turn on a tap or complain about the continual rain spare a thought for the numerous African children who have no source of fresh water. To help us to install more bore holes in remote villages you can make a donation or contact jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk
