When I asked someone at Mukuni Village what they did for Christmas she simply answered ‘we go to church’. ‘What else would you do?’ she replied. How do you describe the presents, feasts, parties and manic shopping lasting for several weeks before Christmas to someone living on less than 50 pence a day? When I asked if they had anything special to eat she replied ‘some people have a chicken if they can afford it’. So unless you have £3 which is the cost of a chicken in Zambia you have to contend with the daily diet of ground maize, vegetables and ground nuts for Christmas lunch.

Photo: Mother and child from Mukuni

Thanks to the generosity of all our donors, old and new, funds have been pouring into the charity this month with many people offering to sponsor an orphan instead of sending Christmas cards. We have been able to build several community houses for the elderly, restore an classroom at Ngandu School and thanks to Just a Drop we now have funding in place to add three bore holes at schools in the Mukuni Chiefdom.

I would like to thank everyone who has helped us to achieve such tremendous success this year. All our volunteers, donors and everyone who has given their time and support generously to assist The Butterfly Tree, giving thousands of people hope and a future. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a healthy and peaceful New Year.

Education is the key to overcoming HIV and AIDS in Zambia. The Butterfly Tree is now supporting five schools in the Mukuni Cheifdom and hopes to offer assistance to many more in the future. Ngandu School built in 1939 by Roman Catholics, was taken over by the government in 1966. Sadly very little has been done since that year until The Butterfly Tree restored a classroom in 2007.

Ngandu has over 400 pupils and is a feeder school to Mukuni High, the pupils having to walk several miles each day. We have now commenced the work on another 1×2 classroom block, which is only partly in use due to the structure being deemed dangerous. The standard of teaching in these remote villages is extremely high but unfortunately the facilities are very basic. Government funding is minimal, they have no electricity and very little equipment.

Pupils at Ngandu School in the Mukuni Chiefdom

Like many of the rural schools Ngandu is very short of teacher’s accomodation and we are currently raising funds to built a new house, we have the foundations in place and a further £3000 is needed to complete the project. The school also has a number of orphans, many of which are being education through our orphan sponsorship program.

Your funds are vital helping to improve the lives of these vulnerable communities in the Mukuni Chiefdom. The more schools we can assist – the more children we can educate, then at least they have a chance in the future to reduce the number of orphans, as a result of this devastating desease. Please keep the funds flowing. The Butterfly Tree 2009 calendars are selling really well, each page has been sponsored enabling all the money to go directly to the cause.

The Butterfly Tree Charity Calendar for 2009, featuring photographs from the Mukuni Chiefdom, is ready to order.

The calendar has been sponsored by the 12 companies named on each month.

Calendars are £4 – and all money raised goes directly to the cause.

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Working in a country such as Zambia where funerals are a weekly occurence and more and more children become orphaned through HIV/AIDS makes you realise how precious life is. Loosing my husband has made me more determined than ever to help these vulnerable people, especially the orphans. Only this month we have sponsored a child who lost her parents when she was young, followed by her aunt and uncle who became her guardians and now her grandfather has passed away leaving her grandmother to look after her, she is only thirteen years of age.

Josephine Lubasi aged thirteen, living in Mukuni Village, is one of hundreds of orphans who need your help. Education is the most important part of their lives, by offering them a sponsorship not only gives them a chance to overcome their hardships, it gives them hope. Without this these children have nothing. The advantage of living in a rural African village is that there is always someone who will accomodate them, which is far better than having to go into an orphanage. However this puts a great strain on the guardians, pushing them further below the poverty line.

Photo: Sponsor these children from Mukuni Chiefdom

Christmas is soon approaching and the pressure is on to buy expensive food, drink and gifts, to party, to indulge and to overspend. Consider sponsoring an orphan; giving an orphan an education, it has a lasting effect, will make a difference and can completely change a child’s life. More info on: orphan sponsorship

I would like to thank everyone for the thoughtful messages, comforting words and tremendous offers of support to The Butterfly Tree.