The new school year in Zambia is now underway. I am pleased to report that most pupils on our orphan sponsorship programme have passed their grade 7 and 9 exams, with some gaining very good results. A further six pupils from Mukuni and three from River View completed high school in December. Their grade 12 results will be announced next month. Eight students are currently attending universities and college, while those who took skills courses last year, are doing work experience. The Murphy Family Foundation and the Mukuni Village Trust, Australia, have given considerable support to help orphans and vulnerable youths.

Thanks to a substantial donation from Nick Bousliman fifty rural schools received bags of seeds and fertilizer for their school gardens, to create sustainable feeding programmes. This generous donation also included 2,000 bags of ground maize for the elderly and vulnerable families, and five boreholes. In addition to this, donations from our successful Christmas Appeal enabled us to distribute more bags of ground maize in Mukuni, Sekute, Musokotwane and Nyawa. One grateful beneficiary from Nyawa sent the following message to The Butterfly Tree.

‘Food is scarce to us elderly especially at this time of year. I am a diabetic and having no food is a danger. Last week I collapsed and a good Samaritan took me to hospital where they put me on a drip of glucose. I didn’t have any food since the morning. Now that I have this bag of maize I will be moving with a bowl of nsima and eat whenever I feel weak. Thank you Butterfly Tree for saving lives.’

The second phase of the new health post at Boombwe is underway. The development, funded by the Overseas Aid and Development Commission, Guernsey, includes a clinic, two staff houses, toilets and biodigester. Mosquito nets were donated to Boombwe school children as there is a high prevalence of malaria. Blooms the Pharmacy, Australia continue to provide medical supplies for Bunsanga, Simonga and Mambova health posts.

The three women’s projects in partnership with Give a Hand, Canada are going well. Muyunda women are busy collecting honey from wild bees to earn an income by selling honey and beeswax. The Musokotwane ‘Mangoes of Hope’ women sold all the jam they made during the mango season and will again grow tomatoes until the next season. The ‘Hope for a Better Future’, which includes rearing chicken and growing vegetables for women in Sekute, is doing exceptionally well. The women have sought good markets for the chicken and vegetables’ sales, which are proving to be highly lucrative.

During the Christmas holidays three football tournaments took place for U-17 girls in Mukuni, Senkobo and Nyawa, and one for U-17 boys in Mukuni. The aim is to help prevent HIV, early pregnancies, alcohol and drug abuse by encouraging youths to engage in sport. All participants must attend The Butterfly Tree HIV prevention workshops. This was sponsored by Blackpool Cup who have chosen The Butterfly Tree as their charity partner for their 2023 tournament.

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Founder

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