It is now three years since I first went to Mukuni Village, which resulted in the founding of The Butterfly Tree. Having just spent three weeks in Zambia overseeing our programs and sourcing new projects it is very difficult to prioritize when there is so much need. However two of the most crucial issues are health and water and I am very grateful to Professor Doug Saunders from Sydney University’s medical school for assisting me at the clinic and Rachel Hemingway from W Charitable Foundation who spent a week with me giving advice on water and sanitation problems. The charity has funded three bore holes for schools through our partners Just a Drop. We put in a fourth bore hole at Kafekwa Village kindly donated by toursits from the US. This month starts the development of Katapazi from a grant received to improve their clinic, build a classroom and 4 pit-latrine toilets in addition to the new well for the school.
Our efforts have much improved the health facilities at the Mukuni Health Centre though there are many patients who are referred to Livingstone hospital and cannot afford the transport. We have started a new program to assist four children a month who need hospital care. Idrin Gani had ostemyelitis when she was just two years old; leaving her limping and disabled. Nine years later the infection flared up again and when I found her the leg was covered in sores. Since October 2008 we have provided funds for an operation in Lusaka, weeks of treatment and physiotherapy. Now Idrin is back home in Chise happily enjoying school and life with her family.
Jane with Idrin and her mother Bore hole and pump for Siamasimbi School
The Butterfly Tree received donations amounting to £7000 in memory of my late husband Lawrence. His favourite project was the community houses for the elderly and vulnerable; these funds have been used to built six homes as well as purchasing beds for the maternity clinic and the restoration of a classroom at Ngandu School. The school has been able to upgrade to grades eight and nine, particularly beneficial for children who previously had to walk long distances to Mukuni.
Community House in Mukuni Village International Women’s Day celebrations
Tourists from the US have generously donated 2000 t-shirts and shorts through The Butterfly Tree for the children of the Mukuni Cheifdom. We are providing sewing machines and materials for the orphans to make school uniforms, enabling the school to be more sustainable. It was heartbreaking to see so many new orphans; sixty more children from the Mukuni school are desperately seeking sponsors to pay for their education. We are currently supporting over 150 orphans, working to provide them with a future and teaching them the dangers of HIV/AIDS, how to avoid getting pregnant and health and hygiene. Please continue this vital funding for the orphan sponsorship program ,your help is greatly appreciated by both the charity and the orphans. We are currently raising funds for a Science lab at Mukuni High School to complete our project, until this is build the pupils have to sit costly external examinations – any contritbutions would be most welcome!
On the 8th March I hosted a day at Mukuni Village to celebrate International Women’s Day. Twelve groups came from all the surrounding villages walking some walking for over two hours; lunch and drinks were provided by us and the women sang songs, performed dances and drama. It was a rare treat for these hard-working people, many of which are widowed and have several orphaned grandchildren to care for. These women have a very tough life, especially when ther husbands have died and in many cases their children as well leaving them to be the sole provider. We are setting up a project for women to produce goat’s milk, a good source of nutrition and can be used to replace breastmilk in HIV positive women. We are currently providing formula but this is very costly and not always available in Zambia. Just another of the problems they have to overcome. Our under five’s feeding program is vital to prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to infant.
I am delighted to say that in three years we have achieved a great deal and much more than any other charity working in the Mukuni Cheifdom. As always a special thank you to everyone who has supported The Butterfly Tree and enabled us to carry out these worthwhile projects. The photos from this trip can be seen in our Gallery.
Warmest regards,
Jane Kaye-Bailey
