The 1st April was the start of The Butterfly Tree’s new financial year, and I am pleased to report that we have funding in place for more boreholes, classrooms, boarding houses and orphan sponsorship.
The 1x 2 classroom block that I went to see at Simukumbwa last month has since been completed. Officials from the Kalomo Ministry of Education recently visited the site and will provide trained teachers and ongoing costs. To add to this project, the donor Victor Ubogu, a former England Rugby player, is holding a fundraiser in London to raise further funds to build a teacher’s house and toilets, and for desks.
If you are a rugby fan and would like to meet former Lions and have lunch at Smith and Wollensky located on The Strand in London on the 11th June, please email sales@vultd.co.uk or call 01225 788880 to order tickets. The event is in aid of The Butterfly Tree. 100% of profits raised at the event will be used to further develop Simukumbwa school.
Thanks to a regular generous donor a 1×3 classroom block is currently under construction at Namachele, which is also in a remote area of Kalomo District. The same donor is funding the construction of a 1×3 classroom block and two boarding houses at Nguba Secondary school, which was opened in January. Already the enrolment has surpassed the capacity and some pupils had to be turned away.
Since November we have been working on an advanced Special Education programme, funded by Give a Hand, our Canadian partner. ‘Improving Education for Young People with Special Needs’ includes teacher training on how to teach pupils with special needs in an inclusive education system. While it may work in some schools, where pupils numbers per class reach 80-100, which I have frequently seen in Zambian schools, children with special needs are mostly neglected and do not perform well in exams.
Working with the Kazungula Ministry of Education up to three teachers from 161 schools have received training. Workshops took place in 9 zones, over 80 teachers attended one of the sessions. In addition we will shortly publish a Guidance Manual that we have produced and this can be used nationally. The final part of the project is to supply schools with specialised equipment and materials.
Zambia has been experiencing late rains, normally they finish in early April. This is great for the water table levels and for watering vegetables gardens. Once the tracks are clear we will be drilling boreholes for Simukumbu and Njezi schools as there are still far too many schools and communities in need of safe drinking water.
Grant Aid received from the Overseas Aid and Development Commission of Guernsey has been used to help with food security to alleviate future challenges when droughts occur. Four groups of women in Kanchele, Zalu, Sekute Central and Zwanga each received a borehole and solar-powered water reticulation system, a storeroom, tools, seeds and fertilizer, and a grinding mill. The aim is for each group to have sufficient food to provide for their families and to generate a sustainable income to help disadvantaged people in their communities.
We look forward to sending you further progress on the above projects as well news on the new initiatives, including expansion of Muskotwane and Riverview Secondary schools.
Jane Kaye-Bailey
Founder
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