The Butterfly Tree works only in Zambia, one of the poorest countries in the world.
Decimated by the HIV and AIDS pandemic and the constant fight against malaria, Zambia, with a population in excess of 23 million, relies heavily on international aid. There are a number of global NGO’s providing immunisation, research, medical supplies and mosquito nets, unfortunately there is never enough to go round. The areas that are most neglected are the remote villages, consequently this is where The Butterfly Tree’s mostly provides support.
Two thirds of Zambia’s population live on less than £1 a day and yet it is one of the most expensive countries in Southern Africa, with inflation rates soaring every year. From the onset we concluded that the only way to make a real difference was to concentrate in one area at a time, tackling poverty from all angles, in a holistic way. We are now working in five Chiefdoms within the Kazungula and Livingstone Districts of Southern Province, developing and improving water, sanitation, health and education facilities. A great deal of improvements can be seen with the addition of news schools and clinics, and access to safe, clean water. Once these communities have the essentials in place it is vital to introduce income-generating activities in order to create sustainability. One of our main aims is to help the fight against malaria.
Safe water, health and education facilities are sadly lacking in these rural communities. Since 2006 we have ‘spread our wings’ and initiated projects in five Chiefdom, covering a distance of 300 kilometres from the town of Livingstone, the capital of tourism and close to the the Victoria Falls.
Mukuni is in the Kazungula District of the Southern Province of Zambia close to the Victoria Falls. There are over one hundred villages, twelve schools and three clinics with a four health centres. The Butterfly Tree has provided support to all of the schools, and in some cases built new ones. Our sponsor an orphan programme has enabled hundreds of children in the Chiefdom to be educated. The charity has an excellent relationship with the Chiefdom and works closely with the local Ministry of Education and District Health authorities. Each school has received substantial funding to improve their facilities and education standards. All the health centres receive support and entire new centre was built at Mahalulu in 2012. All of the funds raised go directly into our grass roots projects.

CHILDREN FROM THE LEYA TRIBE – MUKUNI CHIEFDOM
2012 saw our work expand to the Musokotwane Chiefdom, a vast area with over 400 villages, with the building of two new schools at Matengu and Silelo, both opened in January 2012. In addition new schools were developed at Mandandi and Malima in the Mukuni Chiefdom, many of these children had never attended school. Reaching further out to these remote communities has enabled hundreds more vulnerable children to receive a sound education.

RURAL CHILDREN – MUSOKOWANE CHIEFDOM
We ensure that each school has safe, drinking water besides adequate classrooms, teacher’s houses and latrines. Twenty schools have now received boreholes, which has helped to improve the health among school children and provides water for school gardens. Seeds and fertilizer are distributed to provide a sustainable feeding programme and some schools have income-generating projects, including shops and uniform-making.

TRANSPORTATION – SEKUTE CHIEFDOM
In 2012 we started working in a third Chiefdom at Sibbulo Village in the Sekute Chiefdom. It lies some 120 kilometres from Livingstone and is inaccessible during the rainy season. Many of the communities in this Chiefdom do not have access to safe clean water and basic health facilities. A borehole has also been installed for the school and mosquito nets have been distributed in Sibbulo and Mambova villages for malaria prevention. Mambova is near to the Zambezi River, a breeding ground for mosquito. We have also distributed over 2,000 mosquito nets to the four clinics in this Chiefdom.

KAZUNGULA BOARDER CLINIC – SEKUTE CHIEFDOM
In July 2013 we completed a women’s shelter at Mambova Health Centre for expectant mothers to stay, prior to giving birth and a Special Education unit at River View School, where we found 30 children who were unable to attend school due to having special needs. Moving into the Nyawa Chiefdom in we installed a borehole and latrines as well as a feeding programme at Muchambile Community School, where a teacher’s house was completed in March 2014. At Kauwe Village The Butterfly Tree installed a borehole at their school and donated hundreds of mosquito nets for malaria prevention at Kauwe Health Centre.
2014 – Reaching further into remote areas we are currently working in the Mukuni, Musokotwane and Nyawe Chiefdoms. Classroom improvements have taken place at Chuunga and a new special education unit at Simango. Further improvements in education for Muchambila School with the addition of a teacher’s house, and Nampuyani School getting a teacher’s house and a borehole. An entire new rural health centre was opened at Mahalulu, which included a maternity clinic, a women’s shelter, three staff houses, a borehole and latrines. Our aim is to widen our support for water, health, malaria prevention and education in these remote areas.
2015 – The launch of the new malaria initiative took place in July. A new classroom block at N’dele Primary School has been completed, and a substantial expansion at N’gandu Junior Secondary School with the addition of two staff houses, a 1×3 classroom block and latrines. School expansion took place at Singwamba along with a Women’s Shelter at their health centre. A further women’s shelter was built at Kasiya.
A borehole was installed at Bunsanga, a special education unit at Simango School, a school shop at Kamwi and VIP latrines at Kauwe Primary School.
2016 saw a new clinic constructed at Mambova and a women’s shelter was donated to Musokotwane Health Centre. N’gandu School received a further six classrooms and VIP latrines added and a teacher’s house and VIP latrines were built at Sinsimuku. Another boarding shelter was given to Mukuni School and boreholes for Kazungula Boarding School and Mayala. Substantial funding went into malaria prevention.
2017 was an amazing year, with a substantial amount of projects being completed. A 1×4 classroom block for Riverview School, a 1×2 classroom block for Bunsanga and Chaba, and expansion for Singwamba school. Over 2,000 mosquito nets were donated and we ventured into a new area, Moomba Chiefdom. We drove 300 km from our base to start a new malaria prevention programme after hearing that 46% of the population contracted malaria in 2016.
2018 – the following projects were constructed: science laboratories for Riverview and Nyawa Secondary Schools (latter to be completed in 2019) and classrooms for Kauwe and Singwamba. Restoration took place at Mukuni and Kamwi Schools. 5 boreholes were given to schools and communities. An entire new health centre was added at Sikaunzwe, which includes a maternity unit, women’s shelter and latrines. Further protection for malaria was provided for Moomba and Nyawa Chiefdom.
2019 – A new pre-school for Nakawa soon to be completed. Toilet and shower areas added to Mukuni mother’s shelter. Classrooms blocks at Riverview and Kawewa are under construction. A new school is being developed at Muyunda, toilets are being added to Bunsanga School and this community is to receive a new health post. A malaria prevention programme has commenced at Ngewzi. A further nine houses have been donated to orphans and over thirty more orphans and college students are being sponsored.
2020 – The development of Musokotwane Secondary school, including a 1×3 classroom block, science lab and boarding houses. A substantial donation of textbooks were donated to rural schools. Initiation of a mango production project for women in Musokotwane commenced. Donations and adavncements to three rural health posts took place. Food and PPE distributed amongst 20 health posts and 30 schools to provide protection for the COVID-10 pandemic. Moomba area schools received donations of mosquito nets to prevent pupils from contracting malaria.
2021 – The year started off with the construction of two mother’s shelters at Sikachapa and Manyemuyemu. This was followed by new classroom blocks for Kamwi and Chabalanda primary schools. We received a grant to build another health post for Katondo, in Nyawa and a donation for five boreholes. A new project for Sekute women was initiated and community houses were built for orphans and widows. Substantial funding was received to enroll orphans and vulnerable students from our orphan sponsorship programme in universities and college, and to donate textbooks to rural schools.
2022 – Two teachers’ houses were constructed at Musokotwane secondary school and a new classroom at Mukuni primary. We received a grant to build another health post at Boombwe and boreholes were installed for Simukombo school, Boombwe health post and Hamoomba community. Food distribution took place for orphans and vulnerable people prior to Christmas in Mukuni, Sekute, Musokotwane and Nyawa Chiefdom. Seeds were given to 50 rural schools to grow vegetables. 11 community houses were built for orphans, widows and the elderly. Medical supplies and equipment were donated to three rural health posts.
2023 – Boreholes were installed at Katubya, N’gandu, Malombe schools, and Mabwa where we have started construction on a new health post. A classroom block was built at Malombe community school. Further classroom blocks are under construction at Katubya community school, Musokotwane secondary and funding in please for a classroom block at Riverview secondary and for an entire new school. Funding has been approved to initiate a project for young people with physical and mental challenges, and those living with HIV. Football programmes for both boys and girls are being funded to help reduce HIV cases, teenage pregnancies, and drug and alcohol abuse.
2024 – In March 2024 the President of Zambia announced a National State of Emergency due to the severe drought caused predominantly by El Niño. Throughout the year The Butterfly Tree drilled 30 boreholes, installed 10 solar-powered water reticulation systems and provide emergency food relief. In addition we have initiated sustainable income-generating food security programmes for women and young people with disabilities. A new secondary at Nguba and a new primary school at Boombe Lyangoma were completed as well as two teacher’s houses at Singwamba. We also donated hundreds of mosquito nets to school children plus many more projects, which can be found in our newsletters.