Once again it’s that time of year where we are approaching Christmas and all the pressures that come with it. What should be a joyous occasion, for many it becomes a nightmare. The expense of buying gifts, the ordering of food and the increased expectations of families getting together can cause a great deal of stress. For most families in Zambia life is much different to ours, and Christmas is no different from any other time of the year – food is in short supply, gifts are unheard of and an orphan has no family to visit.
Christmas Fundraisers – help children in Zambia
As always we hope to increase our funding during this period with a number of planned initiatives to gain further donations. Our popular desk top calendar will shortly on sale at a cost of £4, orders are now being taken. Each page is sponsored, which covers the printing costs. 100% of all copies sold will go into our grass root projects.
In December we have the opportunity to get donations matched thanks to our partner the Big Give, through their Christmas Challenge initiative. Already we have £5000 in pledges, now we need to raise a further £10,000 in donations from 5th December for a chance to get it doubled!
The Big Give Christmas Challenge details:
Where to donate – to The Butterfly Tree’s ‘Orphan Support’ project on the Big Give website
When to donate – at 10am or as close to 10am as possible on the 5th, 6th, 7th December
How to donate – on line using a credit or debit card on the Big Give website
For further details please contact: jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk
The BigGive Christmas Challenge matched funding for orphan support
Currently we have two fundraising events taking place. Emma Kennedy and Jess Varley are two volunteers working with The Butterfly Tree in Zambia for three months. Emma is engaged in helping with the orphan sponsorship programme and Jess’s work as a nurse at Mukuni Health Centre is invaluable. I am so impressed with their hard work and commitment and between then they have achieved a great deal. They have now set themselves a challenge – to walk on the 11th November from Mukuni to Zwanga Village and back, to create awareness of just how far pupils walk each way on a daily basis, with no food and temperatures soaring to 40 degrees! The walk is sponsored, more details can be found using this link. On the 9th November A Dance Workshop, organised by Sheila Attah, is taking place in London.
Children walk over 20km each way to seek an education
If you are struggling to find that special Christmas present you may like to consider one of the following:
- Sponsor an orphan – £110 ($180) per year or £10.00 ($16) per month
- Donate five malaria testing kits £5 – $8
- Donate four mosquito nets £20 – $32
- Donate a blanket £15 – $25
- Donate a bag a maize £10 – $16
- Donate a wheelchair to transport a disabled child to school for £200 – $325
- Donate a bicycle for a child living a long distance from school £75 – $120
- Donate a football, netball, volleyball with HIV/AIDS awareness logo £10 – $16
