Scientists predicted that this year’s ‘super’ El Niño will play havoc with global weather patterns. Zambia is expecting prolonged dry weather especially during the rainy season, which usually lasts from November until April. This could potentially lead to a drought consequently we are trying to help as many communities as funds permit to have access to water. It is astonishing that so many rural communities and schools still do not have easy access to water, which causes major challenges when streams, dams and rivers run dry.
Since August The Butterfly Tree has been busy drilling boreholes for schools, health posts and rural communities. Thirteen boreholes have been drilled in remote areas in the past two months. This is thanks to further substantial support received from Nick Bousliman and another private donor, plus two grants for health posts, which include boreholes. Thousands upon thousands more children and communities now have access to clean water. More drilling is scheduled to take place next week.
The Overseas Aid and Development Commission of Guernsey has provided support for health posts in outreach areas where people do not have a health facility. This year’s grant is for a health post at Maile Male, in Kalomo District, which is currently under construction. The borehole, main clinic and toilets are in place. 1,000 mosquito nets were donated to school children in the area to help prevent them from contracting malaria. Two staff houses and a bio-digester for waste will follow. Once completed equipment and furniture will be provided.
For the first time we are constructing more than one health post in a single year. In September The Butterfly Tree received a donation from the Tom Love Trust. The trustees asked us if we could build a health facility in memory of Tom Love, who at the age of 21, sadly died after contracting malaria while volunteering in Africa. Having recently met Tom’s family and friends I was extremely humbled to have been given this opportunity to honour Tom. In partnership with ALMT, the Tom love Trust is also supporting our malaria prevention programme in Mulobezi District.
The health post at Sichimbwale will have the same facilities as Maile Male. A borehole was drilled and the main clinic, now at roof level, toilets and a staff house, are under construction. Once the two health facilities have been completed they will be handed over to the Ministry of Education who will provide trained medical staff and fund ongoing costs. Over 20,000 people will have access to medical care.
A mother’s shelter will shortly be added to Mabwa rural health post funded by Blooms the Chemist, Australia who have supported our health projects in Zambia since 2019.
The construction of a 1×3 classroom block is taking place at Mikata in Kalomo Dsitrict. The primary school has 1,085 pupils from grades 1-7. The school was granted secondary status but does not have the infrastructure. There are 344 pupils from grades 8 to 9 who must share the primary school classrooms. After receiving the funds from a private donor the older pupils will shortly have their own learning space for grades 8 to 12.
Tomorrow, the 17th October the ‘Kamwi Twins’ Elvis and Vincent will celebrate the 16th birthday. When I was in Zambia in October 2010 I learnt that a mother from Kamwi gave birth to triplets. When she was seven months pregnant the mother developed anemia, assuming she was carrying only one infant the clinic staff referred her to hospital. Two days later she went into premature labour. Heartbreakingly, she died along with a baby girl while giving birth.
The grandmother came to look after the two boys, their birthweight was 1.2 and 1.3kgs, but she had little income, relying on handouts. When the boys were just two weeks old they were told that the hospital could do no more for them so they must go back to their village. The following day I drove to Kamwi and met the grandmother and twins. I cannot describe how I felt after seeing these helpless infants. I drove to Livingstone to purchase milk formula, feeding bottles, sterilizing equipment, clothes, blankets, and a torch as the only light in their home was a kerosene lamp. I have never forgotten them as they are miracle ‘babies’ and love catching up with them at school and on the football pitch when I visit Zambia.
I am eternally grateful to everyone who has continued to support The Butterfly Tree And to new donors who have put their trust in us. Our aim as always is to improve the access to water, food, healthcare and education for orphans and vulnerable children, and their communities.
